Valeur
tonal value (in painting)
noun vah-LOER Rare
Origin: from French 'valeur' (value)
Usage Note
Valeur in the context of painting refers to the relative lightness or darkness of a colour — its tonal value independent of hue. Mastering Valeurs is considered fundamental to representational painting and is often taught before colour mixing.
Examples
"Die Valeurs müssen stimmen, bevor man sich um die genaue Farbe kümmert."
Natural Translation
The tonal values must be right before one worries about the precise colour.
Literal Translation
The tonal-values must fit before one concerns oneself with the precise colour.
Related Words
- Abguss cast, casting (plaster or metal replica of a sculpture)
- Abstraktion abstraction (non-representational art)
- Acrylfarbe acrylic paint
- Akanthus acanthus (decorative leaf motif)
- Akt nude
- Aktmalerei nude painting; figure painting
- Aktmodell life model; nude model (for drawing or painting)
- Aktzeichnung life drawing, figure drawing (of the nude)
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