How to Create A Light Effect in Your Paintings?

You can make light shine in your paintings by using shadows and bright colors, just like how a flashlight makes things look different when you move it around.

Imagine you're drawing a cupcake in the kitchen. When the sunlight comes through the window, part of the cupcake is bright and part is dark, that’s because the shadow from the top of the cupcake hides some of the light. In your painting, you can copy this by using white or yellow paint for the bright parts, and gray or blue paint for where the light doesn’t reach.

Making Light Feel Real

  1. Start with a smooth surface, like paper or canvas.
  2. Use dark colors to show where the light isn't hitting, it's like the shadow of your hand on a wall.
  3. Then, use bright and warm colors to paint where the light hits, it’s like when you shine a flashlight directly on something.

You can even add a little glow by using a white brush and gently tapping near the bright parts, it’s like putting sparkles in your favorite juice!

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Examples

  1. Using a white brush to add light on a dark figure in a portrait
  2. Drawing the sun as a bright circle above a landscape
  3. Adding highlights with yellow paint on a shiny apple

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