Light and Shadows Explained

This post will be two parts Light and Shadow. in most paintings and even in photos you will see the shadows and the light. Sometime the light will be to bright and ruin your pictures. Or the shadow so dark you can not see anything.

In painting a picture it is best to know where your light is coming from and how it effects your subject. The simple highlights and shadows like I have here in this apple is rather self explanatory.

The truth is it is more complicated than that but lets look at it.

If you can draw a line thru the apple the left side would be the "Light Family". The right is the "Shadow Family".  The light is divided into Three parts first is the Highlight, it is the comma looking design I have put on the apples' left side. Second is the pure Light, it is located in the left middle. The third is the Mid-tone located under the comma  and is darker than the highlight but not a shadow.
These three make up the light family and by understanding these three your pictures get better.

Tomorrow is the Dark Side, you go Darth Vader.....ha ah ha!