Reductive value is the process of adding value to the paper and then erasing to create shapes and definition. After establishing lighter value shapes, I went in with a darker charcoal and added shadows, as well as using a white conte crayon to add highlights when an eraser wasn’t enough. Since this image is so zoomed in on the still life, there are only three major forms in frame. The origami swan is the focal point, and the lightest form in the image.
