Blessed are the eyes and hands that work in tandem, for what they see and create agree with one another.



Greetings! This image was the one that most grabbed me from today's Drawfriend on EquestriaDaily, and I wanted to share some of my thoughts. When it comes to color theory, color choice is so important to consider when drawing out a color palette, but when hue is removed from the equation, everything becomes about the struggle between light and shadow. Spanning from pure white to pure black, there are only 256 different values that can be used to create contrast and distinguish certain objects from others. And for creating that sense of realism, the notoriously high and low values are best placed in reserve. Navigating the sea of these 256 values is the core idea behind making a great grayscale picture, and as admiral of this ship I do believe you know your way around.



Grayscale brings a picture's values to their purest form, allowing the artist to tell if the contrast is sufficient for any two adjacent values. Everything in this picture is visible, from the detailed markings of the bed to the individual pages of the book. The darkest portions include Luna's hair and the very back wall. Luna's mane is surrounded by the light from Twilight's fur and the lamp while her tail provides its own light source to contrast it against the darker shades. The far wall is contrasted by the carefully placed curtains that surround the bed, which are bright enough to keep the back wall visible and isolate it to only a small portion of the image. The light carries a natural sense of progression from left to right, with the four light sources of the lamp, the two horns, and the glowing book highly visible. All four of these light sources are on the left side of the image, directing the viewer's attention to that side, which just so happens to also be where the faces of the characters are. Luna's wing, tail, and cutie mark are all secondary to the purpose of this image, and it could be said that they only exist in this image to maintain the illusion of realism.



The core of this image is in the expressions and connection between Twilight and Luna. There is a solid theme of cooperation and bonding, as the two of them each have their horn lit up, implying both of them are holding the book. They also have a slight lean toward one another, and both of them are focused on the same object of interest. Even though this picture has no color, the tone set by the values chosen suggests that this picture would have a mostly cool color palette, with only the bright light from the lamp to provide anything on the warm side. Such a serene tone combined with the reclining position of the two characters gives the entire image a relaxing feel to it and establishes this bonding to be rather intimate. To put it another way, this still image has no sound, yet I feel confident to assert there is little to no noise taking place during this scene, save for the occasional turning of pages, repositioning on the bed, and mischievous crickets chirping outside. This picture could be colored such that it takes place during either day or night, but the particular setting involving Luna being present and the lamp lighting up the room leans more toward nighttime.



In keeping with the exceptional choice of color value to keep everything visible, this picture employs some remarkable shading, of the sort that not only accurately points to where the light is coming from but also provides texture for the object reflecting the light. The ponies' fur has a rough, layered style of shading that works more like a radial plume, adapting to the curves of the body like liquid in a bottle. Comparing the bedsheets with the curtains with the lamp with the bed's backing provides four different textures that give each a distinctive look and heighten the realism to the next level. Similarly, the anatomy is restrained and calculated, with the intention designed to lean more toward realism despite the giant eyes and fantastical wings. It's realism within the style of the image, and it's consistent.



Speaking more on the bond between the two characters, the two have similar poses, particularly noticeable by looking at the forelegs, and their heights are roughly the same. These two elements place them on equal footing, underlining the fact they are both princesses. However, by analyzing further, one can see that Luna's presence is dominating here compared to Twilight's. She's by far the more visible character, closer to the viewer. Her hair drapes over Twilight's body like a comforting arm, and her horn is longer. Her gaze is half-lidded and maternal while Twilight's is wide-eyed and childlike. Though they are on equal footing, Twilight views Luna as a mentor and, in many ways, a superior. That idea is something I can read from this picture.



Issues I find with this piece are mostly minimal, and I believe they stand out more due to the grayscale coloring increasing the purity of the image. The highlight on Twilight's left eye looks a little awkward. I believe it's disproportional to the right. The way Luna's hair comes down behind Twilight unfortunately makes a bit of a tangent line, leading to a double-take situation where I keep seeing Twilight having Luna's hair on that side. I also think there's a minor problem with the line of sight and perspective. The way Luna is tilting her head makes it look like her muzzle would be in the way of where her eye is pointing. It also looks like they are both looking in the general direction of the book, but looking at it zoomed-out, it's possible they are both looking slightly to the right of it instead. The direction of Luna's front hooves may be assisting in that effect.



This is a great piece of art, and from the looks of it, it's some great shading practice for you. Everything's smooth, bright, and clear, and it doesn't even need color to make the two characters immediately recognizable. The form is fantastic, and the detail is phenomenal. I can definitely see how this one caught my eye today. Make the most!