Direct Light – Lighting in which the light goes straight from the source to the lit object. An example is a light bulb or the sun.
Compare that to indirect lighting, which is when there is no single direct light source. The object is lit by scattered or bounce light. For example on a cloudy day when the sun is covered by clouds, its rays are scattered and everything is lit indirectly.
All forms, when lit with direct light have the same elements – highlight, halftone, core shadow, reflected light, and cast shadow. It’s an essential skill to be able to quickly identify each element on a given object and to execute each accurately.
A. Highlight
B. Halftone
C. Core Shadow
D. Reflected Light
E. Cast Shadow
Can I please ask: The part of the cube above that you identify as “core shadow” – that seems a surprising idea to me and not something I’d noticed until now. I shall look more closely from now on, but is this part C you label derived from teaching theory or from direct observation?
True that these are fairly rough pencil studies, but to me the idea of darkening on the edge of a plane like that – where the effects of simultaneous brightness contrast are at their greatest – feel counter-intuitive.
Alan,
Thanks for the great question. Core shadows can be seen from observation. A cube is is tough though… If it’s a perfect cube with perfectly sharp edges, there will be no core shadow. But in reality, you will rarely see a perfectly sharp edge like this. Most have a slight roundness to them which can create a very thin “core shadow”.
Hmm… so could we agree then that for all practical purposes, a cube is one form that effectively doesn’t have a “core shadow”? If it’s too small to be represented, and if we can accept that there are no perfect (Platonic?) forms in nature, then in this case the theory helps us none.
One area I always find difficult to think about is where these solids touch the supporting surface. The tiny but important shadow where the base of the shape – again with no perfect corner – touches another surface, leaves a shadow. If one accepts the need for softer edges, dealing then with this shadow is something I find problematic.
Any tips or suggestions?
agreed.
As for the very thin cast shadow, details like this can be stylized to fit the needs of your drawing. My approach would be to vary the line weight or indicate only a portion of this shadow. Maybe show only the center of the shadow and gradate out towards the sides.
I am thrilled to find your site. I’ve really wanted an explicit drawing book. I’m going to go through each part and try to follow your instructions.
THANKS!
im starting to learn can you please tell me whet pencil is use for this illustration?
Junior – I used a Conte 1710 B on SMOOTH newsprint.
Thank you for allowing me on your site. I knew there had to be a link between drawing a pencil portait and angles. I have been so incredibly excited to start drawing pictures of my three grandchildren. It has been five years of trying to get it right so I am hoping this will be a new beginning. Thank you Jackie M
Hi,
Please let me ask one question.
In case you have eg. a orange and consider the temperature, do yout think the highlight is cooler or warmer as the local color/ halftone?
Thank you in advance foryour time,
Karl
depends on the temperature of the light source. The highlight is simply a reflection of the light source.