Light Source and Shadows

A light projected onto an object or figure creates lights, darks, and cast shadows. Your source of
light may be the sun, the moon, a light through a window or an artificial light. When several light
sources are present the light and dark tones vary and are less predictable. To simplify the study
of light and shadow in this first section, I will use only one light source.

Two Kinds of Shadows

There are two kinds of shadows that occur when one light shines on an object, a cast shadow and
a form shadow.

Cast Shadow
When an object blocks a light source it casts a shadow. A cast shadow is not a solid shape but
varies in tone and value. The farther a cast shadow is from the object which casts it the lighter
and softer and less defined becomes its edges.

Form Shadow
A form shadow is the less defined dark side on an object not facing the light source. A form
shadow has softer less defined edges than a cast shadow. Form shadows are subtle shadows
essential for creating the illusion of volume, mass and depth. The changes in form shadows
require careful observation quinting at the subject to see value definition affected by figureground making value relationships clearer.

A Light Side and a Dark Side on Round or Circular Surfaces

When one light source is present, I was taught the dark side is alwaysdarker than the light side
of the object and the light side is always lighter than the dark side. Establishing a definite light
side and dark side makes round objects appear round and defines the form of an object
accurately. Use this simple trick
to make your artwork more true to life, separalight tones avoiding figure-ground confusion.
side. Its the middle tones on either
side that confuse the artists eye in
value relationships.

THE LIGHT SIDE IN TWO PARTS

Highlight .The lightest spot or streak is where the
light strikes the subject in exactly the
middle of the light side between the
shadow edge and the edge of the
object. A highlight can be shinny and
crisp on a glass or metallic surface, or
fuzzy and muted on a dull or textured
surface.
Light middle tones
Note, to avoid confusion, always
keep the values on the light side lighter
than the values on the dark side. In
reverse, the values on the dark side
are darker than the values on the light

Form Shadow in Three Parts

Shadow edge or core shadow
The edge where the light is blocked from the light
source is the darkest value on the dark side. The core
or darkest value blends into the middle tones from the
shadow edge on round subjects.
Dark middle tone
The variable values blended form the shadow edge on the dark side. Again, the dark middle
tones are darker than any values on the light side. The human eye can trick the brain into
believing the
lightest values on the dark side are the same as the darkest values on the light side. If the artist is
confused about lights and darks, the rendering is less understandable.
Reflected light
If the object being painted is sitting on a white table, the light from the table reflects back onto
the object and makes the shadow side lighter. If the object of the painting is resting by something
black or dark, the middle values will become a dark reflection. The concept also holds true when
the object of the painting is sitting on a colored surface. If the reflected light is reobject.

Cast Shadows
When the source of light is blocked by an object it casts a shadow. The length and shape of the
cast shadow depends on the placement of the light source. Long shadows are cast from a side
light source (as from the sun in late afternoon or early evening), and short cast shadows are cast
from overhead (as from a noonday sun). The shape a shadow casts depends on the shape of the
object casting it and how closource is to the object.
CAST SHADOWS IN THREE PARTS
The vocabulary used to describe cast shadows in art come from shadow descriptions in
astronomy. The umbra, penumbra and antumbra are the three distinct names given to the
description of shadows cast by heavenly bodies. The umbra is the darkest part of a shadow
considered the absence of light. The penumbra is a lighter outer shadow where the object is only
partially obscuring the light. The antumbra is more obscure. When it is visible it seems to extend
out from the penumbra in a lighter and less distinct way.