Clear black against clear white is a strong contrast; even the best of
such work has some harshness, despite a sparkling brilliancy. A tone of
gray, midway between these two extremes, changes their relations and opens
up a whole new field for creative activity. Now we must think of different
degrees of Notan,—the “value” of one tone against another. This simple set
of three notes is the basis of the mezzotint, aquatint, charcoal sketch
and wash drawing. The old masters drew on gray paper with black and white.
From three, it is an easy step to many values, and in these refinements of
Notan lies the true meaning of the word “values.” That property of painted
shapes, whereby they “take their places” one beyond another in a picture,
is aerial perspective, not values. It is a desirable quality of
Representation, and often becomes a kind of deception most agreeable to
the mind unappreciative of art. Those who have little perception of
harmonies of tone and color, wish to see objects “stand out” in the
picture “as if they were real.”
Whistler protested against this, holding that the portrait painter is not
an artist unless he can give the opposite effect; that a portrait that
stands out beyond its frame is bad.
The word “values” refers to harmony of tone‐structure; the value of a mass
is its degree of light or dark in relation to its neighbors.