The Importance of Light in Drawing

In drawing, we often hear about light, but when starting out, you might wonder, “Is light really that important?” This is a completely legitimate question. So, in this article, we will see if light is truly essential, and what its various roles are.

Light creates volume

In drawing, light is what gives your subjects volume. Without it, an object remains a mere silhouette, flat and without dimension. It is thanks to light that we can perceive the shape and structure of everything around us.

Take the example of a sphere: without light, it's just a circle. But by applying light from one side, you create a soft shadow on the other, and voila, magic! The sphere becomes a three-dimensional shape. By playing with the lit and shaded areas, you can enhance the effect of volume and bring out the curves and angles of your subject.

Light creates matter

Light is also responsible for the material that we perceive in a drawing. By material, I mean the texture of surfaces: smooth, rough, shiny, soft, etc. A simple light source can transform a silk fabric into something smooth and shiny, or a rock into a rough and granular material. It is thanks to light that we distinguish these differences, and that we perceive the sensitivity of textures.

For example, if you illuminate a wooden object, the light will interact with the surface by highlighting its fibers, grains, and irregularities. Similarly, a face rendered with soft and indirect lighting will appear smooth and uniform, while a harder light will bring out the skin details, creating a sensation of roughness or tension. By playing with reflections, shadows, and the direction of the light, you can reproduce the texture of materials with great accuracy, thus giving your drawings a realistic and tangible appearance.

Light sets the mood

Light is one of the most powerful elements for setting the mood in art. Indeed, depending on how you use it, it can completely transform the atmosphere of your drawing, whether it is a sunny daytime scene or a dramatic sunset. It also allows you to quickly understand whether a scene is viewed during the day or at night.

Imagine a landscape bathed in warm, golden light, like at dusk. This soft and warm light creates an atmosphere of calm and serenity. Conversely, if you light the scene with a cold, bluish light, the atmosphere becomes colder, more distant, even threatening. This is also true for the number of light sources; the same room with neon lights everywhere or candles will have a very different ambiance.

Often we tend to use only yellow/white light to set an atmosphere, but I invite you to try lots of types of colored light, as it will greatly enrich your drawing. You can also play with two light sources to intensify the contrast between them.

Light tells a story

This point is directly linked to the previous one; light has the power to tell a story. A scene does not need words to convey a message; light can say a lot about the time of day, the emotional state of the subject, or even the artist's intent. It guides the viewer's eye, drawing their attention to a detail or, conversely, creating shadowed areas that feel mysterious.

If we take the example below, the same scene can completely change depending on the lighting. In image 2, the deer appears almost mystical, it is particularly highlighted by this abnormal and strange light. In image 3, the deer appears mystical again, but this time it has a magical dimension of its own because the light seems to emanate from it. In image 4, the deer seems much more normal, almost giving the impression of a chance encounter at sunset with an animal that is caught by surprise.

To tell a story and enrich your composition, you might not always use light itself. For example, you can play with shadows. In the illustration below, the shadows in the foreground contribute to the composition and frame towards the village (the focal point), but they also help to add narrative. We understand that there must be several trees out of frame just behind the observer, and this anchors the illustration in a larger and more believable context.

Some tips for using light in your drawings

Here are some tips so that you can have fun with light in your drawings; you'll see that these tricks are often used by professionals to bring more intensity through their use of light.

- Identify the light source: Understanding where the light comes from helps to structure the shadows and lighting, and to add volume to your drawings.

- Direct attention: Light helps guide the gaze towards important areas of your drawing, highlighting key elements.

- Adjust the color temperature: A warm light (yellow, orange) evokes warmth, while a cool light (blue, white) creates a colder or more mysterious ambiance.

- Experiment with shadows: Vary the softness or sharpness of the shadows to add more realism and depth to your drawing.

- Create texture with light: Light reveals the textures of surfaces (rough, smooth). By mastering it, you add realism to your works.

- Don't neglect reflections: Shiny or wet surfaces react differently to light and add complexity and realism.

- Enhance the emotion: Use a soft light to convey serenity and a harsh light to intensify drama or mystery.

- Practice with simple exercises: Start by drawing a sphere under different types of lighting to better understand the light/shadow interaction.

To conclude, light in drawing is much more than just a question of technique. It plays a key role in creating volume, highlighting textures, defining the atmosphere, and even telling a story. Learning to master light means understanding how it interacts with every element of your drawing. It is what brings your creations to life, adding depth, emotion, and meaning to each stroke. So, as you can see, light is more than important—it is essential.

I hope you enjoyed this article! 😊