The biggest problem most painters face is value. More than
anything else, poor value keeps their paintings from having a
sense of light. One way to train your eyes to see the whole
image and therefore the value relationship of light to dark is
to start by dividing the image into light and shadow, one value
for each group. This posterized version will not only simplify
your work but forces a decision about which elements belong in
light and which belong in shadow. Once established you have a
template to guide your color choices for the rest of the
painting. Anything in the shadow must read as shadow from then
on and anything in the light must read as light. Keep reflected
lights as part of the shadows, reflections must read as whatever
they are reflecting. Whatever details get added they should
never obliterate the initial poster shapes. This is the tricky
part because as people add details and describe forms they lose
track of their values and the big divisions of light and shadow
sacrificing them for more in