This is going to be very useful to me. It's taking awhile for it to sink in, but I'm getting it.

I think that, for some reason, the concept of the squares overlapping confused me initially. I find it a little easier to think in terms of relative surface area and not think about the overlapping...but maybe that's just me.

Tom, you're right -- he says in the text that one of the tones should predominate, but it doesn't necessarily need to be in the background. In some design classes they have the students cut big shapes out of toned paper to better approximate the basic design.

Also, I think four tones is almost too many -- I find it helps to boil the design down to three or even two main tonal areas.

I got one of the vintage versions a few years ago for Christmas. I found this section particularly helpful.

When doing roughs, I use a 30% gray marker a 70% gray marker, black pen and the white of the paper to force myself into planning the tonal composition. It's been a very useful approach.

Great stuff.

I remember reading about a similar design approach in Jack Hamm's 'First Lessons in Drawing and Painting'. Like the Loomis book, its out of print.

Note to commentators: I've temporarily reinstalled the word verification step because I'm really getting hit with a lot of bot spam. Sorry for the inconvenience.

I have to say that I've always had trouble understanding this concept out as well. "I find it a little easier to think in terms of relative surface area and not think about the overlapping...but maybe that's just me."I agree with you Tom. Maybe instead of square shapes it would be easier to have abstract toned shapes similar to the painting you want to do??? James, perhaps in a future post(s) you could teach us more in this particular concept and its applications? This is something I would like to understand better. And perhaps you could give us your thoughts on a simplified version as well?

Good idea, Rick. For now, have a look at the earlier post about Tom Lovell's three value studies: http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/2008/06/three-value-study.html

In school we were taught five tones, but that four or three were better. I tend to agree with James, as the simpler the main statement the more noticeable and profound, all things considered. In the media rich world of today, this could not be more appropriate advice to take in my own humble opinion.

What about images that don't utilize a full range of values? For example, a misty or foggy scene, or some night scenes.

I have wondered for sometime now what your thoughts on Loomis were. I was recently able to acquire Figure Drawing for all it's Worth. I know his books are very highly recommended by another artist I admire.

Ezra, good point. There are many pictures that can't be placed in one of these categories. Loomis's point is to group the tones so that the picture doesn't become too busy.

Keith, I have a huge admiration for Loomis's art instruction books, and I recommend them. I used to read them (and still read them) over and over again, and I admire the way he addresses issues of painting and color, especially.

Pattern, Thanks. I wasn't aware of that Jack Hamm book. I just have the ones on animal and figure drawing.

Artillory, you said it. Simplicity of tone is one of the hardest things to accomplish in composition, but it makes a huge difference.

Great post, James. I'd recently read a great article about tonal organization which touches on this very topic: http://underpaintings.blogspot.com/2010/12/gray-matter.html

The article also has a priceless quote by Howard Pyle, who apparently subscribed to an even more stringent formula: "If you can make a picture with two values only, you have a strong and powerful picture. If you use three values, it is still good, but if you use four or more, throw it away."

And of course, it's "recursive": sub-groups of overlapping tones within this arrangement can follow the same scheme. So for example, a light, black and white values on the dark background could be arranged as "light and black on white", "white and light on black", "white and black on light".

And it takes in account that you can juxtapose similar values or use contrasting values to separate them.

And of course, it's "recursive": sub-groups of overlapping tones within this arrangement can follow the same scheme. So for example, a light, black and white values on the dark background could be arranged as "light and black on white", "white and light on black", "white and black on light".

And it takes in account that you can juxtapose similar values or use contrasting values to separate them.