How to Draw Light to Create Depth!

For example, given a spherical object, it is how the light hits the object that we know it’s an orange and not a simple ball.

As it hits the orange, it creates texture due to how the light and shadows behave on the orange. Obviously, we will deal with shadow in a bit. But I just would like to focus on the light.

1. Why light?

Most of us, when we draw stuff, we start with an outline. Then, we add shadows to it. It’s just how we were taught in school. At least, that’s how I was taught in school.

This teaching method is not wrong at all because it deals with the limitations of a physical pencil.

However, with 2d digital art, it becomes easier to draw light as you will begin with the shadow. Why should you draw light first?

The answer is simple: light is where the details are while the shadows have very little details to highlight. Plus, it’s easier to draw details from the light illuminating the object than it is to draw the object, and then putting shadows where you think the light does not hit.

2. Two shapes to learn from

Surfaces vary in many different ways. However, it can be divided into two different surfaces: flat surfaces and curved surfaces. When you draw light, you need to keep this in mind.

This is why we are going to use the sphere and a cube as our example.

So fire up your 2d digital arts program and let’s get started! It would be best to do these on a new layer.

Remember your learning on contour drawings? Well, you’re going to use them to create an outline of these two simple shapes. From there, you will fill in the outline of the contour drawing to get two solid shapes.

Don’t forget that you can preserve the transparency of the solid objects you created. That way, when we start painting the light, you won’t go out of the shapes’ boundaries!

3. Time to draw light!

Now, I first make sure the layer that the shape is on has the transparency option locked. Again, this is to prevent me from coloring outside the solid shape. Then, I take my brush, choose a light color, and then gradually put in where I think the light is.

You don’t need to be perfect. The goal is to paint with light rather than adding shadows.

Once you’ve done that, the secondary goal is to actually focus on the sphere this time. I will talk about the two different surfaces and what to expect from it when you draw light.

On the sphere, draw some light near the opposite pole where the main light source is. However, just do a small hint of light.

4. The two surfaces

When light hits flat surfaces, it’s a constant tone. However, when light hits a curved object, you get a gradient of tones. Remember you learned how to do color gradients? You will do some on the sphere.

Depending on the digital art application you used, apply the tools you have learned, such as the smudge tool, to make the colors blend in better. Always remember larger brushes give you better color gradients.

As you continue to draw light near the opposite end of where the main light source is shining on the object, be sure to gradually fade it in towards where the shadow is the strongest on the sphere.

Where is the strongest shadow? It’s near the middle. There’s even a rule for that as well! Basically, if a spherical object is shined on directly, it can’t exceed half of the sphere.

However, the light can still reflect onto the ground and back at the rear of the sphere. Due to the curvature of the sphere, you will get different amounts of light reflected off it. This is why the shadow tones on the sphere are uneven.

And this is why you get a color gradient of shadow tones on a spherical object!

As you can see, it’s easier to draw light on a dark object than it is to draw shadows on an illuminated object. But we’re not done yet!

In this lesson, we have dealt with how shadows behave on an object. Next, we need to look at how shadows are reflected on a flat plane.

Keep up the motivation and stay tuned for the next lesson coming your way!

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Return from Draw Light to the 2d Digital Art Guide.