How to draw light and shadow and differentiate them. Shadow and light in drawing, their definition and elements

      Light and shadow are the two most fundamental elements of any drawing and are among the basics that every painter must learn. They are two sides of the same coin and it is difficult, if not impossible, to draw one without the other. is considered inconsistent if the light and shade are not in harmony with several factors, making the drawing look unattractive, no matter how good the initial measurements were.

a definition  :

        Everything in nature is covered in light. This diffusion creates zones on its surface. The first is illuminated by the light that hits it, and the other is an interaction between light, environment and distance. On the left side of him it forms dark areas, while the complete interaction of light, body and distance forms a shadow on the environment the body is on. Typically, each object interacts with the light directed towards it and its surroundings, and if the artist is able to understand these factors, he will be able to deduce or imagine the most appropriate place to place light and shadow in his drawing.

Drawing light and shadow:

       Drawing light depends on the painter's ability and strength to move from white and gray to black, or what is called the order of color values. It is a study of colors made up of eight rectangles in which the black color is graduated until white is obtained. The painter uses them to determine the colors of light, which are the last four light rectangles: white and gray.

      As for shadow, it is often opposed to the direction of light. If we assume that the light comes from above, the shadow will face it from below and will be drawn with the first color values, shades of black.

Elements of light and shadow:

1- light source: It is a source of projected light which is used realistically or imaginatively by the artist to determine the direction of general light and shadow, and the method of drawing these last two is based on this one. There are factors that affect it. , including spacing. If the light source is far away, the shadow has a larger area and the light is less. It was close, so the light would have a larger area and the shadow would be smaller.

2 - highlight Light concentration: This is the point of light most concentrated on the object, generally direct and closest to the light source. It is painted with the lightest white color possible, or with the last two rectangles. It can be used as a connection point for incoming light and the first stage of implementation.

3 - Light: It is the branching of the most concentrated point of light on the body until it is attempted to branch out over the entire body. It is drawn in three rectangles before the last two and gradually between them, taking into account possible places which have a hollow or three-dimensional dimension, such as places on the face, such as the eyes or the mouth. We add in places Its cavity has a slightly sharp black color in the light

4 - shadow Shadow: This is the most important step. Without appropriate shadowing consistent with the light, the latter will not be significant. What controls its surface, as we mentioned previously, is the light source and the surface of light used, we draw it with the first progressive rectangles, that is to say everything that is close to the black.

5 - Reflected Light: Reflection of light, which is a step used if the body is close to a surface or to add a third dimension. It's on the edges of everything, or when drawing the face, you'll notice its use at the ends of the hair, inside the eyes, inside the lips, etc., and it's the reflection of light on The body is drawn with graduated rectangles in the middle and is at the far end of the shadow or between the shadow or light

How to draw with light and shadow:

- Try to follow the same previous steps and start by drawing the light and its branches, then draw the shadow

- Draw simple objects, not easy cartoons, with the aim of gaining initial experience and controlling color grading before working on relatively difficult things, like portraiture. Practice will give you the experience and skills to work on what is more difficult.

- Try to move forward in your work and draw something that has more than just one light. It's best to make this realistic, using artificial light, such as focusing a book on two lamps coming from two directions.

- Give yourself plenty of time to learn and don't rush. Create ideas about whatever you want to draw, including its color, reflection, transparency, proximity to the center of light, and distance, as these are all factors that influence light and shadow. .

Learn more:

- Types of shading in drawing, types of shading in pencil

- What is Hatching in drawing? How to sketch with a pencil . scratching

- Face drawing proportions, basics and measurements, explanation with picture