Before
After
“I now have a framework I can use to diagnose problems in my own work instead of just guessing…”
Ben Eblen Studios presents
GRAYMATTER
ON DEMAND
Finally take control of light and form
Sharing the light, value and form ideas and techniques that made painting 3D things finally 'click'.
Full On-Demand course
−25%
$169 USD
Regular price $225 USD
Start learning 25 January 2027 · Lifetime access · Live Sit-In included with preorder
Black Friday bonus · Free stylized character walkthrough
With any tier through
Built from real teaching
I taught it live first, then rebuilt it around the places my students actually got stuck.
Featured in / worked with
AnimSchool
What I teach here, I use in my own work.
This painting uses the light and value principles I teach in Graymatter. I’ll show you how I think through those decisions, so you can start applying them to your own work.
Materials
I’m thinking about how the material responds to light. A shiny surface reflects light differently from a matte one, so I change the shapes and edges of the highlights to help you feel that difference.
Before and after Graymatter
See how students put the ideas to work
Before
After
“one of the major turning points in my artistic growth … made me look at painting in a more systematic way”
Invention starts with understanding
I spent ages copying light and shadows without really understanding them. I’ll help you make those decisions yourself, whether you’re using reference or painting from imagination.
Demo from inside the course
The Four-Step Lighting Loop: The Foundation of This Course
Four questions. Keep cycling through them as you paint.
Throughout Graymatter, I’ll show you how to use them to invent believable light, understand a reference and work out why a painting feels wrong.
Step 01
What and where is the light source?
I start by figuring out what’s lighting the subject, where it is and which direction the light is coming from.
Step 02
What is the geometry of the object?
I break the subject into simpler forms so I can work out which surfaces catch the light and which turn away.
Step 03
What is the object’s local value?
I ask how light or dark the material itself is, separate from the light falling onto it.
Step 04
How shiny or matte is the object?
I think about how the surface reflects light. That helps me decide where the highlights go and how sharp or soft they should be.
ON DEMANDBlack and white, by design
I teach in grayscale to focus on light, form and materials.
Note: This course won’t go into color.
Values are the foundation of colour
We don’t cover colour in this course, but every hue has a value. That’s why values are so important to my colour work.
In the first few lessons, you’ll start seeing things differently
You’ll understand the basics of how light works and start noticing it everywhere: bouncing off a wall, shaping someone’s face, or making a surface shine.
Light, Value and Form across different styles
All demonstrations are digital. We’ll explore light, value and form in realistic, stylized and graphic work, so you can use these ideas in your own way, with the tools and style you choose.
More realistic from reference
Realism from reference helps hone our observational skills.
Invented/Stylized
Understanding why light and forms behave the way they do is the key to invention.
Graphic simplification
Remove the unnecessary while still using the same principles of light and value.
Principles that cross multiple mediums
All demonstrations in this course are digital, not traditional.
Digital painting
Pen and paper
Oils
Inside Graymatter
Understand light, then use it in your own paintings
I’ll help you understand why light behaves the way it does, then build up those ideas through practice so you can use them in your own paintings.
17+
Teaching modules
- Lessons, demonstrations and practice activities built around light, form and materials.
20+
Tiered practice assignments and demos
- Difficulty tiers take you from guided simple-shape studies to applying the ideas to your own drawings.
Currently in development. These examples show what I’m building; lesson titles, groupings and order may change.
- Understand the light
Where it comes from, how it bounces and why it changes. Learn to reason through the light instead of guessing.
Example lessons and assignments
- Light rays and reflection
- Direct, ambient and point light
- Light fall-off
- Multiple light sources
- Manipulate how light shows form
Turn complicated subjects into simpler shapes. Use planes, values and shadows to make them feel believable.
Example lessons and assignments
- Sphere, cube and cylinder studies
- Planes and cast shadows
- Organic shapes and planar heads
- Character lighting
- Know why materials look the way they do
Separate what a surface is from how it’s lit. Understand what makes skin, fabric, glass and metal look different.
Example lessons and assignments
- Local value studies
- Texture and edges
- Specular reflection exercises
- Wood, stone, glass, skin, metal and hair
- Combine materials and light
Bring the surface and the lighting together. Learn how local values, texture and reflections work under the same light, so everything feels part of one scene.
Example lessons and assignments
- Material challenges and walkthroughs
- Matte and shiny surface studies
- Multi-light, multi-material character study
- Reverse engineer reference
Steal light from references, understand it, then use it wherever you want!
Example lessons and assignments
- Film studies and lighting dissection
- Simplified value studies
- Building, vehicle and geometric studies and invention
- Placing objects into a scene
- Get comfortable with different subject matter
50 supplied practice images Use the same light and value principles on characters, everyday objects, cars, organic forms and geometric structures.
Example lessons and assignments
- Beginner and intermediate / advanced assignments
- Vehicles, figures and organic forms
- Environment light invention
- Combine light, form and materials in a complete study
Powered by
3D tools to help things “click”
Turn interactive models around and explore different lighting setups. See which planes face the light and which turn away.
Who is Graymatter for?
All skill levels. Foundations first.
Start with the why, then put it to work. Two assignment tiers: Beginner and Intermediate / Advanced.
1
Simple forms
Get the principles working with guided sphere, cube and simple-form studies.
2
More complex subjects
Push the same ideas further with trickier forms, materials and lighting.
What skill level should I be at to join?
A little drawing or painting experience is enough.
You don’t need to be proficient or know how to paint light. Bring some basic drawing or painting practice and a willingness to learn—we’ll start with the foundations.
From students who’ve learned with me
the biggest boost to my artistic abilities in many years … I learned more in five weeks than I had trying to learn about color and light on my own for the past year … a learning structure I now use in my personal time and apply to learning other art fundamentals
Dane
Jan Cohort 2026
he teaches you how to approach art with curiosity and ask why … a framework I can use to diagnose problems in my own work instead of just guessing and hoping things look right … the foundation you've been missing
Darcy
Aug Cohort 2025
one of the most helpful art classes I have ever taken … a much greater understanding now … a lot happier with how my art is looking
Alex Stijovic
Jan Cohort 2026
defibrillated my joy of painting … much more excited to get into rendering now rather than being afraid of it … my recent works almost look like they were drawn by someone else
Bunjil
Aug Cohort 2024
significantly improved my understanding of how light interacts with different materials … really elevated my drawing … helped me finally understand how it works
Temirlan Kenzhegaliyev
Jan Cohort 2026
one of the major turning points in my artistic growth … made me look at painting in a more systematic way … helped me tremendously
Candice Mak
Aug Cohort 2025
Two ways to learn
The complete course, yours for life. Learn at your own pace, or add personal feedback and live participation with Workshop or One-on-One. One payment, no subscription.
On-Demand
Learn at your own pace.
$169
USD
Presale through 24 January 2027 at 11:59 PM UTC.
$225 USD after the presale.
- Complete On-Demand course · lifetime access
- Video lessons, written guides, 3D models & interactive demos
The full core course will be available on 25 January 2027.
Live workshop + full course
Join me for a live workshop with Q&A and personal critiques. The complete On-Demand course is included for life.
Starts
5 weekly sessions · Saturdays · 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Pacific
- Complete On-Demand course · lifetime access
- Live participation, Q&A & personal recorded critiques
- Private cohort space
Full schedule & package details
The full core course will be available on 25 January 2027.
30 Jan · 6 Feb · 13 Feb · 20 Feb · 27 Feb 2027
Saturdays · 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Pacific
Saturdays · 3:00 pm–5:30 pm Eastern
UK: Saturdays · 8:00 pm–10:30 pm · Central Europe: Saturdays · 9:00 pm–11:30 pm · Adelaide: Sundays · 6:30 am–9:00 am
Times shown for the first session; daylight-saving changes may affect later local times.
Live session recordings are available for 1 year.
Workshop includes live Q&A, personal recorded critiques and the private cohort space. One-on-One adds 3 private 60-minute sessions with me.
15 active places total, including 3 One-on-One places. First come, first served.
15 active places total, including 3 One-on-One places.
Black Friday bonus ends 5 December · 11:59 PM PST.
Workshop + On-Demand · $525 USDGraymatter release schedule
Reserve your course now. Start learning on 25 January 2027.
Swipe to see the release schedule →
Before launch
Pre-sale launch
$169 USD On-Demand. Your purchase reserves lifetime access from the release date.
25 January 2027
Full core course available
From 25 January 2027, On-Demand costs US$225.
30 January 2027
Live cohort starts
Five Saturdays: 30 Jan · 6 Feb · 13 Feb · 20 Feb · 27 Feb 2027.
Saturdays · 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Pacific
Saturdays · 3:00 pm–5:30 pm EasternOn-Demand access begins 25 January 2027.
What software do I need?
Any standard digital painting software works. Use the app you’re comfortable with; you don’t need Photoshop.
These are just a few examples:
Photoshop
Procreate
Krita
Clip Studio Paint
I use Photoshop for most videos and demonstrations, but I’m teaching light and value, not a particular piece of software.
FAQ
What skills do I need before starting?
You only need a little drawing or painting practice. You don’t have to feel “good” at it yet, and no lighting knowledge is expected. We’ll begin with simple studies and build up from there. The focus is light and value, rather than teaching drawing from scratch.
Does Graymatter teach colour?
Graymatter focuses on values: how light or dark something is. I teach in black and white so you can concentrate on light, form and materials without also juggling hue and saturation. This is not a colour theory or colour-mixing course. The value relationships you learn give you a foundation to bring into your colour work, but colour adds its own decisions and needs its own practice.
When is the full course available?
The full core course will be available on 25 January 2027. The live cohort starts on 30 January 2027.
How long can I preorder?
On-Demand stays $169 USD through 24 January 2027 at 11:59 PM UTC, then becomes $225 USD. The walkthrough bonus ends earlier, on 5 December · 11:59 PM PST. Live tiers keep their fixed prices while seats last.
What is included in the Black Friday bonus?
Get the Complete Stylized Character Walkthrough free with any Graymatter tier purchased by 5 December · 11:59 PM PST. You’ll find it in your Driah student dashboard. It includes more than seven hours of chaptered real-time video, a 40+ page Field Guide, the working PSD and original recording, Photoshop and Procreate techniques, and supporting 3D anatomy study images. The live Sit-In ticket is included when you preorder On-Demand by 24 January 2027 at 11:59 PM UTC.
Is On-Demand just a collection of live recordings?
No. On-Demand is a structured course that builds from understanding why light behaves the way it does to using those ideas in your own paintings. Video and written teaching, 3D models, interactive demos and guided practice support that progression, with lifetime course access. Every On-Demand presale purchase also includes live Sit-In access and 1 year of access to live cohort recordings.
Does On-Demand include live Sit-In access?
Yes, when you preorder by 24 January 2027 at 11:59 PM UTC. On-Demand presale students can sit in and observe the live cohort, with 1 year of access to the recordings, at no extra cost. Sit-In is watch only, with no Q&A or personal feedback. Workshop and One-on-One add active participation, personal recorded critiques and the private cohort space. Sit-In is no longer a separate purchase.
What if I cannot attend every live session?
Every On-Demand presale purchase includes 1 year of access to the live cohort recordings, so you can watch later. Workshop and One-on-One also include my personal recorded critiques. Included Sit-In access is watch only, with no Q&A or feedback.
How do presale refunds work?
On-Demand preorders are refundable before release; requests can also be made within 14 days of release or purchase. Nothing in my policy excludes your rights under Australian Consumer Law.
I joined the original Graymatter workshop. Do I buy again?
If you joined the original Workshop or VIP tier and I promised you the rebuilt On-Demand course, I’ll give it to you automatically at no cost. I’ll also send you a private optional alumni price of $399 USD for the new Workshop cohort.
Graymatter On-Demand
Make your next painting with a clearer plan
The complete On-Demand course, with live Sit-In included when you preorder. One payment, lifetime course access, no subscription.
Full course
−25%
$169 USD
Regular price $225 USD
You save $56 USD
Black Friday bonus
Free Complete Stylized Character Walkthrough
Included with any Graymatter tier.
Ends
Full core course available 25 January 2027 · Lifetime access
Preorder GraymatterWant participation and feedback? Compare Workshop and One-on-One
On-Demand preorders are refundable before release; requests can also be made within 14 days of release or purchase. Refund Terms