The subject doesn't really matter~
An apple, a pear, an orange, a peach... they're all teaching the same lesson.
When you simplify a painting into grayscale, you're training your eye to see what really creates form:
โข Light
โข Shadow
โข Midtones
โข Edges
โข Contrast
And here's the best part...
It doesn't matter what medium you work in.
Pencil, charcoal, watercolor, gouache, acrylic, oil, colored pencil, markers, digital paintingโthe principles are the same. Every medium has its own techniques, but light behaves the same way no matter what you're holding in your hand.
If you can understand values, you'll become a stronger artist in every medium you explore.
So grab whatever fruit is in your kitchen~ or any simple object with a clear light source~ and give it a try.
The apple is just the exercise.
Learning to see is the real lesson.
๐๐๐ What medium will you be using?