Understanding Light and Shadow

Our eyes depend on light and shadow to define form, so it is important to understand the basic properties of light and shadow to create form in drawing.

Most objects you portray with tone and value will exhibit the following:

• Form light. The area facing and struck by the light. This producing the lightest part, or highlight, of the object.
• Form shadow. The area where light does not hit.
• Hard edge. A characteristic of forms with crisp, well-defined edges.
• Soft edge. A characteristic of rounded forms where edges are not clearly defined.
• Cast shadow. The shadow created on a surface when the light on the surface is blocked by another object. It is usually hard-edged.
• Reflected light. Lighter areas within a form shadow, created when a bit of light is reflected back onto it.
• Core shadow. The darkest part of a form shadow, not affected by reflected light.

Different Aspects of Light and Shadow

These three simple white forms show the various aspects of light and shadow modeling. White objects work best for this because there is no local color variation to interfere.

White Forms

Charcoal on heavy bond paper

10" × 16" (25cm × 41cm)