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Light & Shadow
Previously, we learned how to draw objects in
three-dimensional form using predominantly linear
methods. This section will address the role of light,
shadow and shading techniques in rendering realistic,
three dimensional form. Form is the illusion of a
three-dimensional structure created using shading and/or
perspective.
Light and shadow create depth and atmosphere in a
drawing. Without them even a well constructed drawing
with perspective and proportion is going to appear
somewhat flat. If you look closely, you will notice that
everything in the real world has a shadow, therefore no
drawing is truly realistic without them. By
incorporating light and shadow from this point forward,
your drawings will really start to jump off the page.
Light Source
Generally speaking, at least one light source influences
the look of any drawing. This could be sunlight or
artificial light. At other times, both could be present.
For the time being, we'll work with a single light
source to avoid confusion. Identifying the direction
from which the light is coming is key when it comes to
shading. The location of the light source relative to
the subject will impact where the light hits the subject
and at what intensity. The direction of the light source
must be factored into all shading so that tonal
consistency is maintained throughout the drawing. .
Tone
Tone represents the lightness or darkness of an area in
terms of black to white. Tone can be thought of as a
range of values; highlights being the whitest whites,
mid tones the medium values of grey and shadows
encompassing the darkest tones.
Highlights are the areas of the subject closest to the
light source. Consequently, they are the brightest and
thus whitest areas of the subject, with progressively
darker shading from this point outwards. Used in
conjunction with shadows, highlights serve to enhance
the illusion of three-dimensional form. The number of
highlights on a subject is limited only by the number of
reflective surfaces and the ability of the surfaces to
reflect light. If the subject is smooth and shiny,
highlights will be very bright and intense. If the
subject has a rougher consistency, the highlight will be
dulled and blend more smoothly into the mid tones.
Mid tones fall midway between highlight and shadow and
generally make up the majority tone. They represent the
true color and consistency of the subject whereas
highlights are brighter than the "true" color and
shadows are darker.
Other pages of interest
Drawing light and
shadow
Creating shadows
in your drawings
Reflected light
and shading
Shading to
convey form
Shading techniques