See your reference more clearly. Study values, simplify light and shadow, use custom grids and palettes, and focus on the shapes that matter.
In art, value (or tone) refers to how light or dark a colour is. If you're learning to paint or draw, doing value studies is one of the best ways to improve. These small, loose sketches in greyscale help you understand where shadows fall and highlights appear—essential for capturing depth and form.
Value Study is a simple, focused tool designed to help you see values more clearly in your reference images. Instead of just converting a photo to black and white, this app lets you break down tones step by step. Start with just black and white to map out the biggest shapes, then gradually add more values to refine your understanding.
You can also highlight all areas of an image that share the same value, making it easier to see subtle shifts in tone. This is especially useful in complex references, like portraits, where different parts of the image might have the same level of shadow but look completely different in colour.
Value Study isn’t here to replace traditional studies—it’s here to enhance them. Whether you're sketching, painting, or working digitally, this tool makes it easier to focus on the fundamentals of light, shadow, and form.
Try it for free with sample images from Unsplash before deciding to unlock the full app with a low-cost yearly or lifetime purchase. All Value Study Pro upgrades count as lifetime purchase.
Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
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This update should fix the crashes some of you have been experiencing.
It also brings back the Combine Values tool. I underestimated how useful it was, particularly for linocut and block printing. While the histogram offers more control, Combine Values is often quicker and more convenient to use, so it is back!
Don't forget, you can star it from the Tools menu to add it to the toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
Questions, feedback or bugs? Email shane@valuestudy.app
Version 4.1.2
The developer, Diem Limited, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Linked to You
The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:
Usage Data
Diagnostics
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Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
Provider
Diem Limited
Size
13.4 MB
Category
Graphics & Design
Compatibility
Requires iOS 16.6 or later.
iPhone Requires iOS 16.6 or later.
iPad Requires iPadOS 16.6 or later.
Mac Requires macOS 14.0 or later.
Apple Vision Requires visionOS 1.0 or later.
Languages
English and 12 more
English, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese
