Values and shadows are two of the most basic fundamentals you want to hone when you begin drawing. This article is an introduction to understanding values, shadows and highlights and how to properly use each.
Values define how light or dark a given color or hue can be. Shadows is the dark side on an object, opposite the light, that reveals the form and mass of the shape, while highlights are the bright parts that show the areas where light reflects.
First, let’s explore Value - As I mentioned before, Value is the lightness or the darkness of any color used, and you want to make sure you use the whole spectrum in your drawings. Using the full range of value of a color gives your painting or sketch a realistic feel and protects it from looking “flat”. How does value add dimensionality to your sketches, you ask? Good question, and the answer to that is “light”. When we perceive an object, a light source helps our eyes form it in our minds. The light hits the object from every angle, creating shallow and deep “places” that help us make out the weight and texture of that object. Likewise, in sketching, we need to add those small patches of “light” and “dark” that help the drawing become as realistic as possible so the audience can perceive what we are trying to show in it’s full extent.
Shadows are what we use to depict the direction of light. You can show proportion using a line of perspective, and shadows are used to depict the light source and it’s directions. The importance of shadows is quite self-explanatory, because you cannot have light without shadows and nothing can be seen without light, hence adding shadows is the crucial element to a professional sketch. Highlights are the exact opposite of shadows. They are the brightest areas in a drawing. These sections are the ones exposed to the source of light the most. The below reference is from one of my drawings titled IN THE DARK. I have marked the source of light, shadows and highlights.
The sources of light is from the top right corner. We can understand this by looking the bright areas - below the nose, the chin and below the eyes. These bright areas are the highlights. On the other hand, the shadows are the dark areas which in this drawing is the mane below the chin. Depicting the shadows and highlights accurately will give the drawing its three dimensionality.
One of the best exercise to get a grip on shadows and highlights is drawing a sphere as shown below and shading it using three/four pencils, cotton buds and a kneadable eraser (You can read the previous article on the essential tools and materials for drawing). Draw the circle and begin shading the lightest part first.
When shading, the pencil should move in a continuous circular motion and once it is done, blend it with the cotton bud. Don't put a lot of pressure or else you might end up damaging the tooth of paper. When shading the darkest part, use the darkest pencil (6b onwards).
The area where the light is falling has to be shining. For that, dab the eraser on to that area and try giving it natural look. There shouldn’t be any harsh transitions. They need to be smooth and seamless.
In conclusion, drawing is nothing but mastering the game of values and understanding the shadows and highlights, for it is the shadows and highlights that give our drawing the illusion of three dimensions on a single dimension sheet.
These exercises and theories were just a beginning guide to get you started and comfortable with drawing and sketching. Once you understand the basics and practice a few times, (your bound to get it wrong a few times too, thats part of the process) you will be able to draw much complex objects and figures.
The next article will deal with a much more complex image. The emphasis will be on improving shading control and understanding more complex forms and shapes.
You can share what you are practicing at mjartworksasop@gmail.com and I will be very happy to help you with that. Thank you for your time!! Enjoy the weekend!
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