Light and shadow — Art, 4–6 years
Light helps us see a form, while shadow shows where light does not reach. Art, 4–6 years.
What light and shadow show
Light is not equally strong everywhere on an object. The side facing a lamp may look bright, while the other side looks darker and may cast a shadow. Artists use these changes to make a flat drawing seem round or to show the direction of light.
Why artists use shadows
Without shadows, a drawing can look like a flat symbol, even when it shows a ball or a cup. People who painted and drew real things needed a way to show depth and the position of the light. Shadows solve this by giving our eyes information about shape and place.
Shade an apple
Draw a circle for an apple and place a lamp on its left. Leave the left edge light. Press your pencil more firmly on the right side, then make the marks softer towards the middle. Draw a darker oval on the table to show the apple’s cast shadow.
A common mix-up
Many people put the darkest mark on every edge, because an outline makes an object easy to recognise. But a real object is not dark all around: its bright side depends on the light. First choose where the light comes from, then place the darkest shade on the opposite side.
Light and shadow outside art
Light and shadow help us read faces, rooms and roads. A photographer chooses a lamp or the sun to change what a picture shows, while a theatre uses lights to make a person or place stand out. Shadows are useful, but too much darkness can hide important details.
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