How to draw shadows from objects. Constructing a falling shadow of a complex object from a single light source

Date of publication: 01/04/2017

To make the drawing look more realistic, we make shadows, thereby creating volume for it.

The concept of the terms light, shadow, chiaroscuro, reflex, halftone and highlight

Light- the lightest part of the picture. Without it, it is impossible to give volume to an object, since we see the shape of an object only in good lighting.

Shadow- the unlit part of the object. The shadow on the unlit side of an object is called its own, and the cast shadow is called the falling shadow. The own shadow is always darker than the falling shadow.

Chiaroscuro– this is a transition from a light area of ​​an object to a dark one.

Reflex- a reflection of what surrounds the object in the drawing. The reflex will always be darker than the midtones and lighter than the shadow, since it is part of it.

Semitone - smooth transition from light to shadow without visible boundaries. It exists only where the sun's rays fall on an object only at a certain angle.

Blik- the light part of the mirror object. In the picture, it often looks like a white spot reflecting the sun's rays.

What does the shadow depend on?

The degree of illumination of an object depends on the lighting in the room, the angle of incidence of the rays and the light source, and the distance between the object and the light source. There is natural and artificial lighting. Natural light is light from sun rays, and artificial is light from light sources made by man. The greater the distance, the weaker the illumination of the object and vice versa. Light and shadows on foreground should be more contrasting, as they are more noticeable. The planes that face the light are the brightest.

How to properly shade an object

First we need to correctly understand the shape that we need to shade. More complex objects, such as people, nature or things, are built from the lightest forms of an object - a sphere, a cylinder and a cube.

So, first, choose a pencil. Shadows are best drawn with 8b pencils. Best to have simple pencils of different hardness to make the pattern more voluminous.

The next step: you need to sharpen the pencil. It is best to do this with a stationery knife, as the lead is longer and thinner.

Next, we make a sketch of our object, which we will shade. Lightly pressing the pencil, draw the outline of the object. It is better to draw from life, seeing the object with your own eyes, this way it is easier to determine the shadow. Place the object in front of you and turn on the light, and you will see that it casts a shadow, which you will later transfer to the drawing.

Next, identify a light source to outline where the subject's shadow will be.

Strokes

Strokes – broken lines, which help to shade an object in a drawing.

Choose a shading method that is convenient for you. There are three types of hatching: straight, circular and cross. Straight hatching is drawn with parallel lines and is great for objects such as hair, dresses, and so on.

Circular hatching is done using circles different sizes And different strengths pressure. This allows you to create a more realistic object.

Cross hatching is done using cross-shaped lines that allow you to give a darker shadow to your subject in your drawing.

Always hold the pencil as horizontally as possible to ensure natural shadows.

I suggest you try all types of shading on a separate sheet of paper and choose the one that is more convenient for you.

Let's move on to the most important thing - shading. First apply one layer of shading to the object, draw another layer next to it so that our two layers do not intersect. If they intersect, a dark place is formed, which is difficult to get rid of during work. After you have applied the first layers of shadows, in the intervals between layers you apply a second layer, but the shading should be different, that is, you need to change the inclination of the strokes. Then on top, where necessary, apply the third, fourth, fifth and subsequent layers of strokes.

Shading shadows

Now that the shading is done, we need to shade the lines. There is no need to do this with your fingers. To do this, you can take a cloth, a piece of paper and carefully smooth movements, without pressing too hard, rub the pencil. Then look at your drawing. If you like it, then good, but if not, then move on to the next step.

Correcting errors

The most common mistake is that the shadow, highlight, and so on are incorrectly defined. To correct it, check again whether your shadow is in the right place and whether the highlight and reflex are visible. The contours between light and dark areas should not be clear. If dark joints have formed between the hatching layers, take an eraser and gently touch the dark place. Repeat this step as many times as needed.

No one succeeds the first time. You must strive for excellence, go towards your dreams. Remember that even the greatest and famous artists We didn’t start drawing pictures right away, but started with simple things that you might be learning to draw.

At any art school or at art courses First of all, they teach you to draw boring primitives: ball, cube, cone and cylinder. When I was little and went to art school, such classes tired me with their tediousness. Straight lines, precise proportions and endless shading of the drawing with pencils of varying softness. There was no play of fantasy or riot of colors in this case. Then I still did not understand that this was one of the first and important steps to feel the volume and learn to depict it correctly.

Almost simultaneously with primitives, still lifes are drawn - drawing them helps to feel figures with complex shapes and makes it possible to gain experience in using paints, pencils or crayons. Personally, I’ve never been drawn to still lifes; for me, it’s not much more fun than drawing primitives. And other people’s still life works make me want to sleep. However, there are exceptions in the form of unusual execution techniques :)

An example of a still life in unusual technique execution. Author: Smertina Natalia

But the reality, as a rule, is that you want to learn how to draw here and now, without spending money on it. long years- How much this really depends on each individual. Some people look at other people's work. They like them and want to learn how to draw the same way. But when they try and the first results do not suit them, they immediately give up with the words: “I will never succeed in the same way...”. It’s important to understand that few people succeed the first time. It’s important to remember that it’s all about desire and desire;) While we were learning to ride a bike, we fell off it more than once and gave ourselves bruises. When we were learning to drive a car, we stalled more than once at traffic lights and in front of pedestrian crossings. But in the end, those who studied and wanted to learn learned and are now enjoying the results. It's the same with drawing.

In our age of technology, learning to draw, as well as learning many other things, is much easier than it was before. At least that's what I think. Computers simplify the process of creating pictures and make it possible to use various effects and tools in your works. And the Internet helps you spy on things that you cannot think through in detail in your imagination, but you can imagine what they should look like and what they are called;) In addition, sitting at home in front of the monitor, you can recharge your enthusiasm by looking at your work professional artists. And in exceptional cases, even see the process of their creation.

Volume

If you feel that you have problems with the sense of volume, then I advise you to start with the primitives. Most likely it will be boring, but don’t be discouraged - this is a solid foundation for the future.

Objects become three-dimensional when a light source appears. To make any object look three-dimensional, you need to place a light source on the stage and constantly remember its position when drawing details. There should always be at least one main light source that affects all elements of the drawing. But there may also be additional sources, for example: a candle, a torch, car headlights or a flash from an explosion.

An example of a picture with one light source.

An example of a picture with two light sources.

As you can see, in the picture those parts of objects that are closer to the light source have more light colors, and those further from the light have darker shades.

If you can’t imagine correctly where the light is and where the shadows should be, then I recommend drawing from life - it’s not difficult. We take any non-transparent object that has a simple shape. We place it on a table or stool and place a table lamp next to it. And then, looking at this object, we try to depict it on paper or directly on the computer. The purpose of this training is not so much to depict the object as it looks in real life It takes a lot to understand where the light is and how the subject is shaded.

Shadows

Knowing where the light source is, it is not difficult to construct a shadow on an object if it is of a simple shape.

An example of constructing a shadow.

By moving the light source, we can easily calculate where the shadow of the object should fall.

But this is all theory. In their work, artists do not build guides and do not calculate shadows in this way, unless, of course, extreme precision in the work is required, because this requires a lot of time. Typically, artists draw this type of task by eye. I assure you that if you tinker with the guides for 2-3 evenings and draw shadows along them, then after this time you will not be perfect, but you will already have a rough idea of ​​where the shadow should fall :) In general, if the correctness of the shadows is important, then you can draw them by eye , and then quickly check using the guides by drawing 2-3 lines.

In games, correct shadows are not used if the game world consists of a mosaic of various pieces (we don’t take 3D into account, where shadows are calculated dynamically by the computer). They are very difficult to draw and program, so they often use semi-transparent circles or other objects under characters or other objects. interesting techniques. Most often, static objects in games do not cast shadows on themselves or other objects.

Volume of complex objects

If you learn to draw simple primitives in volume with “ eyes closed", then drawing complex objects will no longer be so scary. After all, the whole trick is that objects of any complexity consist of the simplest primitives, and in order to depict a complex object as three-dimensional, you just need to imagine its individual details in the form of ordinary primitives and things will go as they should :)

I admit, in this example with shading there is serious problems, but I think the general idea is clear :)

Over time I found out a few important points, which should be followed to get good results:

1. Those objects that are lighter visually look closer to the viewer than those that have darker shades. For example, if we draw houses or trees in isometry, then the roofs of the houses and the tops of the trees should be lighter than the walls of the houses or the lower branches of the trees. If for the roof of a house or for the foliage of trees we use the same colors for the upper and lower parts, then the houses and trees will appear flat, and not as voluminous as we would like them to be.
2. Important game objects should be made brighter or somehow highlighted against the background of other objects. Most often, an additional outline stroke or more is used rich colors. In this case, background objects should not use a contrasting outline and the colors should be more muted.
3. Do not use as a canvas color White color- this is a very contrasting background. When drawing objects against such a background, you can make a mistake with the colors. And when the objects are ready, placing them in the game world, you may find that they do not match the color scheme, or do not look as good as you would like. Use as a background neutral color general color scheme of the game world.
4. I recommend viewing your work regularly good artists, drawing in the style in which you would like to learn to draw. Pay attention to various details and try to peer into the drawings, looking at individual elements. And imagine how they can be depicted - this will help develop visual thinking. Also, feel free to repeat some elements with your own ideas - this is useful for training your hand and imagination. In any case, if you don’t try to make yourself a clone of a certain artist and still draw a little differently, then you will get your own unique style.
5. I myself am not always able to perfectly select colors and undertones. This sometimes takes a lot of time. When I can’t decide anything with color for a long time and am already starting to get stupid, I look at the colors in other people’s works and sometimes this really helps me solve the problem. As a result, the colors are not “stealed”, as some may think, because they are still immediately or a little later adjusted to the overall color scheme. For these purposes, I am gradually collecting a collection of screenshots of graphics I liked from different games and art :)
6. The more often you draw, the more experience you gain. And the more experience, the better the pictures turn out. In general, draw as often as possible;)
7. It often happens that everything seems to be well drawn and everyone likes it, but you absolutely don’t like it - don’t worry, it happens :) Try drawing it again, but a little differently. Or put the picture aside for 1-2 days, and then try again.

Useful links on the topic

As much as I would like to tell you about all the secrets of drawing, there is no way to do this all at once. In addition, this topic in itself is very interesting and voluminous, and it is not difficult to guess that there are many lessons and specialized blogs on drawing, links to which I am happy to share:

• www.drawmanga.ru - A very interesting site on the topic “How to draw Manga”
• www.risovat.ru - Blog “Drawing lessons or how to learn to draw”
• www.artlesson.ru - A site with lessons on using various graphic editors.
• draw.demiart.ru - A selection of drawing lessons.

If we mean volumetric shading of objects, then the easiest way to determine the color of the penumbra is to take more dark shade from the existing color. And for lighter ones, on the contrary, drag the slider to the lighter one. This is how the figures in the pictures in the example are drawn. But it seems to me that this result is not always interesting. Here you can experiment and, when selecting, try to move the penumbra towards cooler colors, and the lighter parts towards warmer ones, provided that the light source emits warm light. However, I wrote that I myself have problems with choosing colors and can only deal with them by looking at other people’s pictures :)

By the way, Lerika has an interesting blog entry on the topic of creating color palette, I recommend checking out: Color Swatches

Unfortunately, I can’t share the selection. The blog format is not the same, and the selection contains not only screenshots of games, but also copyright pictures that I like and which I do not have the right to distribute. And there is no time to separate the art from the screenshots.

Anyone can put together such a collection on their own; all you need to do is look at games from time to time or simply visit resources where they are reviewed and if you like the picture, then grab it. In addition to games, I personally follow updates various artists and I also drag their pictures into my collection :)

Maybe off topic, but I would like to know what to do for someone who has been at school, at home, and at university all his life I always drew the same thing ? (that is, you liked a certain character, you remembered him and began to draw, and then studied not only him but also all the creatures from the same series)..
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How to unlearn/get rid of this? (After all, I myself understand that all these “cool” creatures and heroes are just the result of the creativity of their authors)
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And now, having seen that everything comes down to one point, I really want to know and be able to draw people, animals, plants, equipment, transport (the same cars, planes, helicopters, rockets)) to story (draw) my own landscapes, buildings, to draw objects inside them. Be able to draw EVERYTHING I want or think of (and not just one thing).
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Please tell me how I can learn and get rid of myself (forget what I’ve been drawing for years) and begin to gain new knowledge about certain objects or creatures that interest me?
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To begin with, I want to be able to draw a person well - how can I learn this? (Share your experience pls) T_T

@Crash, in order to forget how to draw what you have been drawing all the time and learn to draw everything that surrounds us, you need to use only one proven and most reliable way - to draw everything that you want to learn to draw regularly! :) You may not be able to just pick it up and draw at first, but you didn’t learn to walk right away either;)

In your case, a “stupor of fantasy” may occur (as I call it), especially since this is very likely when you have been drawing the same images for so long. To overcome this, you need to delve into the images of what you like on the street or on the Internet and perhaps in the first attempts simply repeat (copy), and then, based on this, start drawing your own, and then another, and so draw, draw and draw: ) And everything will work out!

Well, my advice to you is, don’t hesitate to repeat other people’s techniques or techniques; of course, you shouldn’t use this approach openly in commercial work, so as not to damage your “karma,” but for learning purposes it won’t be superfluous. But in the end, you will still develop your own style and your own techniques. The main thing is not to expect from yourself that everything should work out the first time - it doesn’t happen!

I’ll add a little cruel trick of my own - how to look soberly at your picture right away - in art we approached the mirror with a sheet - the eye becomes blurry when you sit for a long time over the drawing, and the mirrored image will show all the mistakes, the analogue on the computer - or turn the picture upside down , or simply reflect horizontally, although you need to mentally prepare yourself for the fact that you may have to redo a lot of things

Thank you very much!

I really like to draw. I like the process itself. It is mesmerizing, time flies unnoticed. But I just can’t make friends with volumes and light. All my drawings are childishly flat. I keep trying to “get around” the rules, placing shadows and highlights almost at random.

You inspired me a lot, I will definitely try to draw simple objects with a table lamp. Thank you thank you thank you!

Choose the right materials. Of course you can draw regular pencil, on regular paper, but for shadows you should use special pencils. You can find inexpensive drawing pencils at almost any store. Try to find a stiff paper that will absorb the shadows.

Make a line sketch of your subject. Use an existing object or a photograph of an object. The most important thing is to keep your subject still so you have plenty of time to draw it.

• Take a closer look at household items. Household items such as flowers, kitchen utensils or clocks can be great subjects to paint. You can also draw something that you collect: hats or figurines.
• Use contrasting space to sharpen the contours of your subject. Contrast space is the space around your subject, for example if you are painting a chair, it is the space between the legs of the chair and the floor.
• If you use a photo to draw something, try to print it in black and white. This way you can make more accurate shadows.

In this article we will tell you how to draw shadows with a pencil correctly. IN artistic practice The ability to correctly feel the dark and light sides will be a good help in any drawing. If you want to make the sketch visual and realistic, you need to give it volume.

Constructing and drawing figures such as a cylinder, ball, cone, cube is a rather tedious and uninteresting task. However, it is tasks like this that are the first step to understanding the volume geometric shape, as well as the ability to depict its dark and light sides - that is, the ability to draw shadows with a pencil step by step.

Light and shadow should be realistic and pleasing to the eye. This will give the drawings contrast, depth and a sense of movement. How to learn to draw shadows so that your drawings look more alive, attractive and interesting?

A little theory

Have you ever wondered what allows us to see the shape of objects? Let's reveal a secret: this is a collision of light and shadow.

If we place an object on a table in a room without windows and turn off the light, we will not see any form. If we illuminate an object with a very bright lamp or spotlight, then again we will not see its shape. It can only be seen by light that collides with shadow.

Neither light nor shadow falls on objects at random. There are certain patterns. They allow us to guess how the light will be located on the object, on its forms, and where the shadow will begin.

And the person who draws needs to know these patterns.

In drawing, the following elements of chiaroscuro are distinguished:

Let's consider each of them in order.

A flare is a spot of light that is located on a convex or flat glossy surface and is obtained due to the strong illumination of the object.

Light is the surfaces of an object that are brightly illuminated.

Penumbra is a weak shadow. It occurs if an object is illuminated not by one, but by several light sources. In addition, it forms on surfaces that face the light source at a slight angle.

Shadow is those parts of an object that are dimly lit.

A falling shadow is one that an object casts on the plane on which it stands.

And his own is the one that is on the unlit side of it.

A reflex is a weak spot of light that is located in the shadow area. It is formed by rays that are reflected from other objects nearby. The depiction of these light gradations allows the artist to clearly depict the shape of an object on a sheet of paper, convey its volume and degree of illumination.

Do these rules work for computer graphics? Yes. Computer graphics- this is the same drawing.

Step 1: Selecting the Right Materials.

First of all, you need to choose the right pencil. Of course, you can paint shadows with charcoal, sanguine, gouache, and acrylic. But at first it is better to limit yourself to a pencil. For shadows, special drawing pencils are used. They are sold in sets. A budget option can be found at any office supply store. There are many types of drawing pencils. There are ones with a soft (M, 2M, 3M, ..., 8M, 9M) lead, and there are ones with a hard one (T, 2T, 3T, ..., 8T, 9T). In sets from foreign manufacturers, M is replaced by B, and T by H. To depict shadows, a set of 3T, 2T, T, TM, M, 2M and 3M will be enough. To depict light it is better to use hard pencils, and for shadow – soft. This way the drawing will look more natural and will be easier to draw.

Let's talk about paper.

Too smooth sheets, like the ones we print on, are not suitable for drawing. Don't use paper that is too hard. It will be difficult to draw shadows on it. It is best to use special drawing sheets, which are sold in a folder at office supply stores.

Step2 : linear sketch.

First of all, make a line sketch of what you want to draw. It is advisable to do this from life, but you can also use a photograph of the object. The most important thing is that the object you choose is motionless. In this case, you will have a lot of time to sketch it.
Take a close look at home environment. You can draw flowers, watches, kitchen utensils, and items of clothing. All of these are excellent subjects for sketching.
If you use a photograph, it is better to print it in black and white. This way you will be able to more accurately depict the outline and shadows.

Step 3: Achromatic Colors.

When working with a pencil, all achromatic colors are at your disposal. They start out white and end in black, with a few shades of gray in the middle.

How to create an achromatic scale?

Draw a rectangle: this can be done on a separate sheet of paper or in the corner of your drawing.
Divide this rectangle into five to seven equal parts, then number them. The very first rectangle will be white, and the last one will be black. The parts between them need to be painted over. different shades gray, dividing them by tone.
The result is something like your pencil's palette: the first rectangle is white, the second is light gray, the third is medium gray, the fourth is dark gray, and so on, and the last is the darkest tone the pencil can produce.

Step 4: Shadow Theory.

To do this, it is necessary to understand their nature. Find the main light source. Observe that the lightest places are often closest to the light, the dark ones are further away, and the shadows fall against the light. Special attention You should pay attention to reflections, as they can be the brightest place of the object chosen for drawing.

Step 5: Choosing a Hatching Method.

The shading is applied over the pencil sketch. Choose the way you will shade your sketch depending on the subject, the light source, and the type of drawing.

There are many types of shadow shading, and the most popular of them are straight, circular and cross.

A straight line is drawing many parallel lines as close to each other as possible. This method is great for objects without texture and for drawing hair.

For circular shading, you need to draw many small circles. This shading can be used to create interesting texture by scattering circles and adding lines to them. In addition, you can more clearly show the density of the object you are depicting by placing the circles close to each other.

Shading an object by drawing intersecting lines is cross-hatching. This method is great for adding depth to a drawing.

Consider the direction of the hatching and the shape of the object. Straight lines on rounded surfaces will not give the effect of volume; rounded surfaces must be hatched in the direction of the curvature of the planes.

Step 6: pen test.

Try making shadows. Since your drawing is still initial stage, you should not make them too dark. This way you can easily erase them if necessary. Draw, gradually filling in the places that are needed, and leaving the lightest places white.

As you paint, compare your work to the subject or a photograph of it to make sure you're putting the shadows in the right place.

Step 7: Patience and step by step work.

add shadows in several layers. They must be gradually darkened, layer by layer. There should be a noticeable contrast between dark and light areas.

Do not forget to use an achromatic scale: the drawing should not be in the same gray tones.

There's no need to rush. The process of shading shadows is similar to developing black and white film: it must happen gradually. Patience is your key to success and beautiful drawings.
The more you deepen the shadows in the drawing, the less noticeable its contours will become. And this is correct, because in real life almost nothing has a black outline. The same should be reflected in your drawing.

Step 8: Shading the Shadows.

Now blend the shadows in your drawing. It is necessary to make them more realistic and smooth. You need to control the pressure so that it is not too strong and too weak. Blend until you are satisfied with the result.

Buy special shading sticks from an art store. If you don't have shading, you can use a small piece of paper. Change paper frequently.

An eraser will help you highlight those places that you accidentally covered up. This could be a highlight, or a contour that is not completely hidden under the shading layer.

The main thing is to remember that most people who draw, including the most famous artists, at the initial stage creative path made mistakes.

Between your hand and the paper you are drawing on you can put Blank sheet printing paper: this way you will avoid stains on the drawing.

To avoid dirtying the sketch and correcting mistakes, it is better to use a vinyl eraser. Erasers made from this material do not damage paper and erase pencil marks well.

Don't use your finger to blend the shading. Your finger quickly gets dirty when you blend out dark areas and then stains lighter areas.

To make the difference between light and shadow more noticeable, you need to use good lighting.

It is better to hold the pencil at a smaller angle to the plane of the paper so that you can draw with the side of the lead rather than its tip. This will make the shadows more natural.

Draw as often as possible, hone your skills. Only through repeated training, starting with simple shapes, you can achieve high level craftsmanship (see photo).

I wish you creative success!