Course Highlights


Creating shadows in Your Drawings

Shadows are the darkest areas of the surface. They are the product of light striking certain areas of an object while not being able to reach others and shadows are cast as a result. Shadows can have really sharp edges between it and the mid tone or it can gradually blend into the mid tone. The way in which light, falling on an object, separates into distinct areas of light and dark depends upon the surface of the object. If the object has hard edges, then the point at which light becomes dark will be sharp. If the surface is curved, there will be a gradual change from light to dark.



Cast Shadows

In addition to the shadows on the object itself, there's also the cast shadow. This is the shadow created by the object itself upon the surface on which it stands. In bright light, the cast shadow is darker than the object's darkest side, becoming progressively lighter toward its perimeter. A low angle of light will cast a long shadow, whereas an overhead light will cast a short one. The edges of cast shadows can be sharp when it is an angular object or soft when the object is rounded. Including shadows in your drawing will not only add to the realism of the drawing but help to create an illusion of weight since the object will appear to be resting firmly on a surface. Shadows also add to the atmosphere of a drawing.

Other pages of interest

Drawing light and shadow
Creating shadows in your drawings
Reflected light and shading
Shading to convey form
Shading techniques

 

 

 

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