# How to translate a colored drawing into B/W
**URL:** https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/how-to-translate-a-colored-drawing-into-b-w/566
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [January 19, 2020, 8:40pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/how-to-translate-a-colored-drawing-into-b-w/566 "2020-01-19T20:40:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@marissa.jessick](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/marissa.jessick)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2020, 8:40pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/how-to-translate-a-colored-drawing-into-b-w/566/1 "2020-01-19T20:40:12Z")
I am a beginner to drawing, and I took a photograph of a painting during my last trip to Israel. I would like to try to draw it, but I am having trouble translating all of the colors into B/W on my paper. How do you guys look at color and determine which value of black it should be?
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### Author:  [@sterlingsiam](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/sterlingsiam)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2020, 3:41am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/how-to-translate-a-colored-drawing-into-b-w/566/2 "2020-01-20T03:41:21Z")
Hello Marissa. Welcome aboard. Is you photograph digital? If so, you could download a free software such as Photo Scape X. It is truly excellent and will allow you to view the photograph in grayscale which will translate the colors into a variety of grey tones, making it a lot easier to understand the different values. Good luck!
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### Author:  [@marissa.jessick](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/marissa.jessick)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2020, 4:57am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/how-to-translate-a-colored-drawing-into-b-w/566/3 "2020-01-21T04:57:42Z")
Yes it is. Thank you. I will try converting it to black and white.
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### Author:  [@sterlingsiam](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/sterlingsiam)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2020, 10:19pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/how-to-translate-a-colored-drawing-into-b-w/566/4 "2020-01-21T22:19:44Z")
Hi Marissa, just a quick note. There are usually two different settings available: converting to grayscale and then black and white. Remember to use grayscale (black and white won’t help).
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### Author:  [@marissa.jessick](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/marissa.jessick)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2020, 11:07pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/how-to-translate-a-colored-drawing-into-b-w/566/5 "2020-01-21T23:07:23Z")
Thank you.
I would also like to know how to develop this ability without the use of technology. As there are times when I would like to draw something that is NOT a photograph. I guess that takes time 😁
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### Author:  [@sterlingsiam](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/sterlingsiam)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/how-to-translate-a-colored-drawing-into-b-w/566/6 "2020-01-23T02:22:06Z")
Yes, Marissa. I too would like to know how to develop that ability. And, I think you are right… it will come in time - for both of us. 😉
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### Author:  [@lilnora](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/lilnora)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/how-to-translate-a-colored-drawing-into-b-w/566/7 "2020-11-23T01:50:41Z")
I usually print my colored pictures using a with black ink cartridge only. Then, depending on the size I want, I take it to the printers and have them enlarge it to the size I want to paint/draw. They can take the colored picture to the right size. You would need to ask them to enlarge it on regular paper so they won’t do it on photo paper (which is too thick to use to trace it out). I had a color photo of a friend of mine in his Army Dress. Then I trace it on the canvas, I took tracing paper and outlined the main features with a piece of tracing paper between it and whatever I was going to paint (or draw) it on. That is what helped me. Sterlingsiam suggested using the gray tones. I would agree because it would be too dark to get the shades you want.