Soft light or strong light for model?

[Michele Rushworth]

I am still very much interested in hearing more opinions on just how delineated/sharp the line should be where the shadow meets the light. I suppose it also depends on the mood I want to convey. And like so much, there is probably no magic answer.

Exactly. It depends on the subject and the mood you want. Look at paintings you like and see how they did it.

Remember, though, that when you set up a model in the light you think would be just right, it will usually turn out to be too contrasty in the photograph. That's what cameras do, whether film or digital. They increase contrast, sometimes by a huge amount.

A simple tip when shooting by window light (which is the easiest way to start in any case): In order to increase contrast between the lit and unlit sides of the face just move the subject closer to the window, to decrease contrast move him or her away from the window.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by Michele Rushworth

Exactly. It depends on the subject and the mood you want. Look at paintings you like and see how they did it.

Michele,

Great suggestion! For some reason I tend to think I must have a sharp delineation between shadow and light. I'll look at books and see someone like Renoir who has painted the dark side of a face a medium tone, at best, and I'll wonder 'why does that work'? It has been drilled into my head by previous instructors to paint shadows dark, dark, and darker.

I understand there must be some dark somewhere in the painting, otherwise the painting will look washed out. But still, there are some paintings where the darks just aren't that dark and I think they work. Though again, that may be to portray a soft mood.

thank you,

Joan

[Steven Sweeney]

Originally Posted by Joan Breckwoldt

I understand there must be some dark somewhere in the painting, otherwise the painting will look washed out. But still, there are some paintings where the darks just aren't that dark and I think they work.

Now you're starting to refer to the "key" of the painting. The high-key paintings you refer to (in which "the darks just aren't all that dark") work because the narrower range of values that are used are well managed in relation to each other. There are no absolute values that must appear -- you don't have to have a near-black value on one end and a near-white value on the other -- you just have to make sure that the darkest value you do use goes only where the darks should go, and the lightest values you use go only where the lights should go, all in relation to each other in the overall value design. Squint, squint, squint at your subject or resource to sense the location of the different value areas and shapes.

Key has no necessary relation to edges and transitions.

I suspect that those who advised you that shadows must be dark were probably just trying to get you to extend your value range. That is, perhaps you naturally paint in a high key. When you're starting out and trying to master the depiction of form, it's much easier to use an extended value range -- get those dark darks in there, as well as the light lights, and everything in between. The subtlety of a narrower value range (whether high, middle or low key) is tougher to parse.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Steven,

Thank you for your reply. I apologize for taking so long to thank you for it, I've only just come back from Thanksgiving holiday vacation.

Originally Posted by Steven Sweeney

I suspect that those who advised you that shadows must be dark were probably just trying to get you to extend your value range. That is, perhaps you naturally paint in a high key. When you're starting out and trying to master the depiction of form, it's much easier to use an extended value range -- get those dark darks in there, as well as the light lights, and everything in between. The subtlety of a narrower value range (whether high, middle or low key) is tougher to parse.

I think you are absolutely right about this. My instructors are trying to teach me to model form and certainly it's easier with a broader value range. Hmm, I just didn't realize it could be done effectively in a narrow value range. But I suppose that's why paintings I see in books do work, even though they are in a higher key. So, what you're saying is . . .. . . I can do anything I want! Yippee! Oh, it just has to work though.

I think my last instructor taught using the broadest value range and kept telling me to do the same thing, I just didn't think it was "right" to do it otherwise. Certainly this example shows me the value of taking lessons from different instructors. Thank you for putting this into words and explaining it to me.

Joan