Value Study: art reference

Value Study: art reference

Analyze light and shadow

3.3K ratings
200 reviews
Free
In-App Purchases

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • January 13, 2021
  • September 27, 2026

Features

Value Study: art reference screenshot #1 for iPhone
Value Study: art reference screenshot #2 for iPhone
Value Study: art reference screenshot #3 for iPhone
Value Study: art reference screenshot #4 for iPhone
Value Study: art reference screenshot #5 for iPhone
Value Study: art reference screenshot #6 for iPhone
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About

This app helps artists improve their skills by analyzing light and shadow in reference images. It allows users to break down tones step-by-step, from simple black and white to more complex value ranges, aiding in the understanding of depth and form. It's a tool to enhance traditional art studies.

✓Step-by-step tone breakdown
✓Highlighting areas of same value
✓Focus on light, shadow, and form
✓Greyscale value studies
✓Works with reference images
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What users say

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What's New in Value Study

5.0.0

September 27, 2026

I've got a bunch of bug fixes and improvements in this update, plus a big new feature... Introducing Personal Collections! You can now create your own collections in Value Study, making it easier to organise the reference images you want to keep and come back to. Personal Collections require a Value Study account, so they are completely optional. If you choose to sign in, your collections will sync across your devices so you can access them wherever you use Value Study. This is a big change for the app so please let me know any issues you find, shane@valuestudy.app

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Subscriptions & In-App Purchases

Value Study Pro (yearly)

Value Study: art reference

$14.991 Year
How to cancel Value Study subscription ⁉️

User reviews

Indispensable

Simple, easy, effective.

Artist must. Top app and evolving

The app was fantastic since the beginning. Extremely useful. The author recently added awesome features. This app is the top one an artist needs

Too complicated

This app may be good for someone who is a tech wizard, but I’m an artist—this just confused me.

Wonderful app for artists.

I use Value Study in designing my multi-block linocut prints. Shane, the developer has created an extremely useful tool, so much better than posterizing in other apps. And he is extremely responsive in adjusting to meet my needs as an artist.

A Creator who Cares

This is an excellent app for artists and photographers—it’s helped my paintings immensely, making compositional design much clearer and easier. I’ll add that I encountered a minor problem with live view crashes, I messaged the creator, and within a couple of weeks he fixed it—and emailed me personally to let me know. That kind of dedication is worth five stars in itself.
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Developer apps

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

2 issues

App crashes or fails to launch on some devices

Bug

Occasional issues with image processing

Bug
✨

Requested Features

4 requests

Add ability to adjust value midpoint

Feature

Include color study/color adjustment options

Feature

Provide side-by-side comparison of original and simplified images

Feature

Add customizable grid overlay

Feature

FAQ

What is Value Study?

Value Study is a mobile application designed to help artists analyze light and shadow in their reference images. It assists in understanding how light falls on objects and how to represent depth and form by breaking down tones into greyscale values.

How does Value Study help artists?

It aids artists in improving their drawing and painting skills by facilitating value studies. Users can break down reference images into distinct tonal ranges, from simple black and white to more nuanced values, making it easier to grasp the fundamentals of light, shadow, and form.

What are the pricing options for Value Study?

The app can be tried for free with all features enabled on sample images. To unlock the full app for personal images, users can choose between a low-cost yearly subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase. All 'Pro' upgrades are considered lifetime purchases.

What devices is Value Study compatible with?

Value Study Pro upgrades are unlocked across iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. This allows users to utilize the app's features on their preferred Apple platform for art creation and study.

Can I use my own photos with Value Study?

Yes, after trying the app for free with sample images, you can unlock the full functionality to analyze your own reference images. This allows for personalized studies based on your chosen subjects, whether for sketching, painting, or digital art.