A value scale can refer to two different things: a psychological inventory used to determine the values that people endorse in their lives, or a system of organizing values in art. Here, we will focus on the latter.

In art, value refers to how light or dark something is, and is used to depict light and shadow. A value scale is a system of organizing values that includes a graduated scale from the lightest value (white) to the darkest value (black) and various gray tones in between. The scale can be used to categorize shapes in a scene into simple-to-understand levels of brightness, and is depicted in a grayscale format to simplify the concept of tonal values in art.

A value scale can be created using a rectangular shape that encompasses different values ranging from light to dark, with several shades of gray in between. Typically, artists use a value scale they have made themselves by drawing or painting onto a sheet of paper. The scale can also be a valuable drawing tool, as it can be used to discover values in anything an artist is trying to draw.

Creating a value scale can be challenging, as it requires determining how much darker one value should be than the previous one, and creating equal steps of values without looking at a completed scale. However, this exercise can improve an artists eye and make them a more sensitive observer, as well as help them gain control of their drawing materials and learn how to draw an even gradation.