Priming: Please do not forget to prime your canvas if it is white, this is crucial to give you the best chance of mixing the correct values. It is so hard to judge values on a white background. I personally advocate for using a grey background with a vibrant yellow subject, and I recommend you follow suit for best results.

Values: Throughout the lessons, I frequently emphasize the importance of values. Values signify the degree of darkness or lightness in a color mixture and its placement on the grayscale. To aid in your understanding, I've included a black-and-white reference photo for your convenience while painting. Here's a valuable tip: snap a photo of your work in progress, then convert it to monochrome on your phone and compare it with the reference. This simple technique can help pinpoint discrepancies in values, which are often the culprit when a painting isn't achieving its desired effect, rather than issues with forms or colors.

Transferring the drawing: Please take your time over this as it is the foundation of your painting and worth getting correct.

Lighting: Ensure you have good lighting in your workspace to accurately judge values. Natural light is often best, but if not available, consider using daylight bulbs.

Squinting: Squint your eyes while looking at your reference photo and painting to simplify the values and see the overall light and dark areas more clearly.

Patience and Practice: Achieving accurate values takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself and allow yourself to make mistakes as part of the learning process

Step Back: Periodically step back from your painting to gain perspective and evaluate your values from a distance. This can help you see your work more objectively.

Take Breaks: Give yourself breaks during your painting session to prevent eye fatigue and maintain focus. Returning with fresh eyes can help you identify value discrepancies more effectively.