[Art Tip] Values - Light and Shadow (Patreon)

I'm about to nerd out about my second favourite topic. I'm an organised person with an analytic mind, so I NEED to understand what I'm doing and why. Before I get into any other topic you requested, I need to put this out there because without this information, I won't be able to explain more complicated things. I believe understanding this will give you confidence, at least.

Sorry about the sloppy craft and photos. I wanted to finish this in the weekend, because it takes so long for me to make art tip posts and didn't want to make you wait longer. I hope it's still understandable this way. I may update the material in the future if I come across more suitable materials.

What is Light?

"Light, visible light, or visible radiation is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. [...] Like all types of electromagnetic radiation, visible light propagates by massless elementary particles called photons that represents the quanta of electromagnetic field, and can be analyzed as both waves and particles."

(from Wikipedia)

Light Sources (example)

The less light sources available, the more contrast. More light sources soften the shadows.

Primary light source: the lamp. It provides direct light. This creates the brightest lit areas and darkest shadows.

Secondary light source: the window. Diffused light. The clouds, fog and the curtains disperse the light particles from the sun. Diffused light is responsible for making shadows softer.

Tertiary light NOT source: surfaces.  Bounce light. The light particles bounce off the different surfaces and fill the environment, softening the shadows. It decreases the contrast of the image and can create reflected light on objects.

Values

Highlight

On matte surfaces, this is the brightest value. This is the spot where the light particles hit the surface squarely, or at a large angle.

Midtone

Darker than Highlight. The light particles hit the surface at a smaller angle.

Terminator

The edge of the Core Shadow, which is usually darker than the rest of the area. It's more noticeable on shiny objects.

Core Shadow

The area where the particles from the main light source don't reach directly.

Reflected Light

The area in the Core Shadow that reflects light bouncing from another nearby object.

Cast Shadow

Theoretically, this is the darkest shadow. But the farther it gets from the main object, the brighter it is, as the area gets illuminated by the diffused light in the environment.

Different types of lighting

Observe how different levels of illumination influences the appearances of shadows.

Diffused light (eg. a dimly lit room or an overcast day) makes the shadows appear softer. Low contrast.

Direct light (eg. a lamp or the sun) makes the shadows dramatic, and creates a high contrast.

Why is this important?

Everything in our 3D environment can be simplified into a simple object like a sphere or a cylinder. It helps us understand foreshortening, how objects distort in perspective, and how to shade more complex "objects", like a hand. Eventually it will help you develop your own personal style!

How to improve?

Observe your surrounding consciously, in different light setups - pay attention to the sources, how light behaves, how the different types of shadows appear. Start with differentiating the lit and unlit areas, and then you can get into the details.

Life drawing sessions. Even at home! just paper and pencil. You can draw any simple objects. Below, I studied a toilet roll.