Value Study vs Art Toolbox
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Value Study
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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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 all features enabled on 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. Either option will unlock Value Study across iPhone, iPad and Mac. Annual: Auto-renews yearly. Lifetime: One-time payment, no fees. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Art Toolbox
This app helps artists of all levels improve their skills by mastering light, shadow, and form. It offers tools for simplifying complex subjects, ensuring accurate proportions, and composing visually engaging artwork.
- Master light and shadow
- Simplify complex forms
- Portrait simplification with grids
- Proportions guide for lifelike portraits
- Composition grids for balanced art
- Tools for sketching and painting
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Art Toolbox is the perfect companion for artists of all skill levels, designed to help you master the fundamentals and create more confident, compelling artwork. Key Features: Master Light and Shadow Train your eye to recognize subtle value shifts and improve the depth and realism in your work. Break Down Complex Forms Simplify your subject into bold, readable shapes with the shape simplification tool—perfect for learning structure and design. Portrait Simplification Made Easy Start with flat colors and use facial grids to build a strong, accurate base for portrait painting or drawing. Perfect Proportions, Every Time Draw lifelike portraits with the proportions guide—no more guesswork or awkward angles. Compose with Confidence Design stronger artwork using 6 classic composition grids to create balanced and visually engaging pieces. Whether you’re sketching, painting, or just learning, Art Toolbox helps you focus on what matters most: improving your art. Terms & Conditions: https://arttoolbox.app/terms-conditions/ Privacy Policy: https://arttoolbox.app/privacy-policy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Value Study at 4.8 against Art Toolbox's 4.2. Value Study also leads on ratings volume (3.3K vs 17) and review sentiment (92% vs 75%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Value Study sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year and Art Toolbox sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Value Study holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Value Study has 3.3K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Value Study's written reviews are positive against 75% of Art Toolbox's.
Value Study ships an update weekly, Art Toolbox every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Value Study | Art Toolbox |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (3.3K ratings) — better | 4.2 (17 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 91.9% of reviews — better | 75.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3.3K — better | 17 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 53 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Diem Limited | Wes Castain |
Customer experience
Value Study
Art Toolbox
Bugs and requests
Value Study
Reported bugs
2 issues- App crashes or fails to launch on some devices
- Occasional issues with image processing
Requested features
4 requests- Add ability to adjust value midpoint
- Include color study/color adjustment options
- Provide side-by-side comparison of original and simplified images
- Add customizable grid overlay
Art Toolbox
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Value Study
- Value Study Pro$3.991 Year
- Appreciation$2.99
- Value Study Pro (Lifetime)$9.99
- Generous boost$9.99
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- Amazing supporter$24.99
Art Toolbox
- Art Toolkit Premium$2.001 Month
- Art Toolkit Premium$9.001 Year
- Art Toolkit Premium$19.00









