The Cast Shadow and Others

7/28/2019 The Cast Shadow and Others

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THE CAST SHADOW.


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Generally a strong dark.The cast shadows are generally the darkest parts of any subject, and together with the shadows areoften visible when the light surfaces of the objects are invisible. They show the shapes of the objectscasting them, and also those of the objects receiving them, and are most important features of anysubject.

Varies in value.The value of a cast shadow depends upon the color of the surface receiving it, and when surfaces ofdifferent colors are placed so that they all receive the shadow of any object, the shadow will be darkestupon the darkest color if the different colors receive equal amounts of reflected light. This would,however, seldom happen, and only study of nature will produce a true drawing.

Darker than light or shadow.Cast shadows are generally darker than shadows and all light surfaces, but no rule can be stated,for the cast shadow on a light color is often lighter than the shadow upon a darker color, and the castshadow on a light color may be lighter than the light side of a dark object. Thus the cast shadow of adark tree-trunk upon white snow is lighter than the light side of the tree-trunk, and in Fig. 17 the castshadow of the cover upon the plinth is about the same value as the light upon the cover.

Varies in sharpness.Shadows cast by sunlight and by artificial light are sharply defined ; those by studio light are sharpnear the objects that cast them, and softer as they recede. Shadows cast by a studio light are variedby reflected lights as much as are the shadows, but by sunlight or by artificial light cast shadows uponany surface are more nearly of uniform value.

Masses with the shadow.The cast shadow and the shadow of any object generally form a mass of dark, which in contrastwith the mass of the light produce the effect of the object. When the object is not near the eye, thesemasses are very prominent, and often no detail can be seen in them.

Hides contours and detail.As already explained, unimportant detail disappears in the shadow, and in the same way it disappearsin the cast shadow, and often even the form or contour of an object is lost in the darkness of the cast

shadow. Thus the lower right contours of the bottle in Fig.16 and the pot in Fig. 17 are invisible for alittle distance, and the contour of the cylinder in Figs. 8, 9, and 13 is lost in the shadow thrown upon itby the plinth. The contour should not be represented when it is not seen, for much of the charm of thebest artistic work is due to the subordination of detail, and disappearance in part of the contours, dueto the shadow and cast shadows.

Must be carefully drawn.


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The importance of carefully drawing the dividing line of light and shade on all objects has beenmentioned, and from what has been said the student will realize that careful drawing of the castshadows is of no less importance. The drawing of the masses of dark which are bounded by thedividing lines of light and shade, and the outlines of the cast shadows will often do more to suggestthe object than a correct contour ; but if these parts are correctly drawn, the contours will probably bein correct drawing. In general as much attention should be given to the forms of the shadows and cast

shadows as to the contours.

Helps in the drawing.The forms of the shadows and cast shadows are often easier to see than those of the contours whichare often invisible in parts, and generally the shadows are seen first and contours last ; therefore, inlight and shade study it is natural that the student begin with the lights and the shadows instead of withthe contours.

Blends with the shadow.

Upon objects such as those of Fig. i8 the cast shadow and shadows often blend together. Thus thecast shadow of the leaf in light passes around the plum and into the shadow upon the plum. Upon thevase each projecting ring or band about its surface casts a narrow shadow, which passes around thevase and loses itself in the shadow on the vase. Such cast shadows are visible only upon the lightof the object, and never extend into the shadow to darken it. They are sharpest and darkest nearestthe parts that cast them, and they must be drawn with great care. The same care must be exercisedin drawing the dividing line of light and shade upon even the smallest details of the object. Fig. 19indicates the mass of dark formed by the shadow and cast shadows upon the top of the vase, and thestudent must study such details as carefully as they are indicated in the figure.


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A STUDIO LIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SPECTATOR.

Effect largely shadow.Fig. 11 represents the group when placed in front of a studio window. This position causes the visiblesurfaces to be largely shadow surfaces. The light strikes, however, the top parts of the cube, thecylinder, the sphere, and the plinth, and these surfaces are light; but in outdoor subjects the uppersurfaces of objects are generally invisible, and there is less light than in Fig. 11. The cast shadows aredark and prominent in the effect, as they are wholly visible and extend toward the spectator. Fig. 11. in

contrast with Fig. 10 (below), presents a mass of dark which is the general effect indoors or outdoorswhen the light is behind the objects ; it also shows that the shadow surfaces with the cast shadowsform the larger part of the subject.


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Strongest shadows on the nearest parts.The increase in the strength of the shadow upon the cone towards its vertex is well shown, and alsothe fact that the strongest darks are generally on the parts nearest the eye.

Strongest lights on the contours.The strongest lights are on or near the contours of the objects. On the pencil the glitter light is at thecontour, and makes the black pencil lighter than the light parts behind it.


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THE SAME SUBJECT UNDER DIFFERENT LIGHTS.The illustrations studied have represented the effects due to a studio, the light coming from the leftand from above and behind the spectator. We will now compare the effects produced upon the sameobjects by lights from different directions and of different kinds and strengths.

Light at the side.Fig. 8 represents a group of white drawing models placed in a studio upon a shelf and against abackground covered with dark gray cartridge paper, the light coming from above at the left and slightlybehind the spectator. The effects of light and shade upon the different objects are such as have beendescribed. but owing to the imperfections of the photograph and its reproduction. the gradations inthe masses of light upon the different objects are not well expressed. Thus the left-hand contour ofthe cone should be darker than any element between it and the glitter element. This element doesnot appear. but should be about as far from the left contour as the shadow element is from the rightcontour and the shade upon the sphere should gradually increase in strength from the hr_gh toward

the contour in all directions : and that upon the cylinder should increase from the lightest element,which is about midway between the contour elements, toward the contour elements in both directions.The figure does not show that one of the lights of the group is lighter than all the others, and one ofthe darks is darker than all others, but it does give the effect of the principal masses of light and darkwhich it should be the first aim of the student to obtain.

Cast shadows show forms of objects.The cast shadows of the plinth, the sphere, and the cube upon the cylinder show the form of thecylinder and also the forms of the different objects casting the shadows. The shadow of the pencilupon the vertical side of the plinth extends very faintly towards the shadow of the pencil upon theforeground, for the rays of light causing the shadow cross each other as explained on page r r, so that

the shadow is dark only very near the pencil.

Narrow shadows must be represented.The plinth does not rest evenly upon the shelf, so that we see under it slightly at the central part ofthe light side, and a narrow shadow is produced. This shadow is lightened by diffused light from thestrong light rays sent to the eye from the surrounding parts, but it is an important detail and shouldbe represented ; and the advice which is given on page 99 to avoid outlines does not refer to such aplace as this where the effect of an outline is given by a narrow shadow or by a narrow edge whichcatches the light.

Studio lights give soft shadows.The cast shadow of the cone on the background illustrates the fact that with a studio light the crossingrays from a large window so soften the shadows that often they do not suggest the forms of theobjects which cast them. /,

Foreground lighter than background.


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The mass of the light of the foreground is lighter than that of the background, and illustrates theusual effect of the values when foreground and background are of the same material and color. Theforeground is lighter because it generally reflects more light to the eye, and also because it collectsin a short time dust which lightens its effect, unless the foreground is very light. The value due to dustshould be represented, as it can hardly be kept away from a subject to be studied several times.

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The Cast Shadow and Others

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