Do You Know the Difference Between Shade and Shadow?

If we know the distinction between Shade and Shadow it helps us see more accurate details for our drawings. These details will inject greater visual interest and drama into our drawings.

[@laurenkris9384]

Fantastic video. It is so nice to have someone teach rather than say watch me. I am truly enjoying these highly informative videos! Your art is highly inspirational too.

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Lauren for telling me. Much appreciated. Please tell your friends as well. 😀

[@atheransari8038]

Great sir I love u.

[@stephentraversart]

That’s very kind!😀

[@icedarklife95]

Masterful

[@stephentraversart]

Very kind. Thanks. 😀

[@Miauxkitty]

This is something I would've never considered (or noticed) until you told me about this. It's made such a difference! It was such a pleasure working with you. Thank you!

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Kitty. Knowing this difference is such a help when I analyse a scene to apply tone. 😀

[@MossyMozart]

@@stephentraversart - You may not have said it outright, but using shades and shadows (and perspective) with skill makes a drawing /painting /etching /whatever look more understandable and not disconcertedly "funny" or "off".

[@KitD2365]

I have been struggling with shadows in my drawings. This observation is going to make a huge difference for me. Can't wait to try it!

[@stephentraversart]

I’ve found it really helpful myself, so all the best with it. 😀

[@aninastar]

I had no idea! You are such a good teacher!

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks. Yes, I only discovered all this a few years ago. But it’s been so helpful know since. 😀

[@somebody_me_th]

Thank you very much. For decades I could not tell the difference between shade and sgaddow. Now I complehend. 👍

[@stephentraversart]

Excellent. That’s what I was wanting. 👏😀

[@DrawnByLaserLove]

No wonder why my drawings, even with shade added, always look kind of flat. Thank you so much for this!

[@stephentraversart]

My pleasure. Have fun playing around with the possibilities. 😀

[@alajnabiya]

Wow. I literally stopped the video and took notes when you said shade is warmer than shadow. 👀🤯

[@stephentraversart]

Haha. I went and looked at some photos when I first read it and was amazed to discover it was true! Really useful to know, I think. 😀

[@MarciaBreternitz]

Thank you so much. Your explanation was great!

[@stephentraversart]

Great to hear it was so helpful Marcia. 😀

[@paperman3237]

Thank you for the class

[@stephentraversart]

My pleasure. Glad it was helpful. 😀

[@MolotovEcho]

It's basically cast shadow and core shadow in classic terms. Cast shadow looks darker because it recieves less reflected light than core shadow. It's important to remember about ambient occlusion too, it is harder for reflected light to reach places where surfaces of objects are closer to each other. And in cases when object is floating high over a plane both shadows will be much lighter because there are lot of room for reflected light to bounce around.

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks for sharing this 😀

[@tinyfacemcgee9211]

Love your amazing channel! Please help me draw a golf course with the different types/ lengths of grass! It’s so hard!

[@oliverpierre22]

This was excellent, Stephen!! Thank you so much!!

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Sarah. It’s certainly been helpful for my drawing practice. 😀

[@fanatlarge]

Very interesting observation, thanks for the explanation.

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Planta. I’ve found it a very helpful distinction. 😀

[@1Skymed]

Thank you so much for this easy to understand, excellent presentation.

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks. Yes, I found it a very helpful distinction when I first came across it. All the best. 😀

[@stacygibson9572]

This was incredibly helpful. Thank you so much!

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Stacy. I agree. It’s been incredibly helpful in improving my tone work in my drawings. 😀

[@ritayukourasaki4754]

Amazing, so helpful and interesting explanation. Thank you!

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Rita. Really glad it was helpful. 😀

[@kph6976]

Thank you.

[@stephentraversart]

My pleasure. I've found this a very helpful distinction. :)

[@cindylong2782]

I am really enjoying your wonderful videos. I am a fairly new subscriber. I think your insights are excellent!

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Cindy. Really appreciate that. Please tell your friends who draw about my channel. That would really help me. 😀

[@NJ-bu7zw]

Never noticed it. So thank you for this lesson.

[@stephentraversart]

Great Jaap. I use this content all the time when I’m planning the tone in my drawings. 😀

[@monarabah8841]

Thank you 😍

[@stephentraversart]

My pleasure. 😀

[@Ani.me_006]

It was very good. Thanks for the tutorial👏👏❤️❤️

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks again Mahdi. Hope you can use it in your drawing. :)

[@KA-pe6sv]

Would the shade have the same darkness as shadow if the back of the object is perpendicular to the light source

[@stephentraversart]

All things being equal, the shadow will still be darker and a cooler colour 😀

[@avinsxd]

To be honest, that feels paranormal. Like, why are shades brighter than shadows? They both are behind the surface, that gets all the straight light. What makes the difference? Is it somehow connected to bouncing light? That's the best shot I can give.

[@Galaka100]

I agree with your observation. For example a “core shadow” is not called a “core shade”. But perhaps should be because the “shadow” is not caused by another object? Core shadows can be very dark, and cool, like a regular shadow, and may lighten from bounce light. Fun concepts.

[@stephentraversart]

I don’t know the physics, but since I heard this I’ve looked at MANY examples and it is true. For some reason when an objects orientation means some light can’t reach it, it is a lighter tonal vale than when light is blocked from reaching it by either a different object or part of the same object. A cast shadow really is darker and cooler in colour. Really helpful in painting. 😀

[@kevin_mitchell]

Before I watch the video and view the comments, here is my guess. Shade is of the totality of the object, whereas a shadow is part of the object.

[@stephentraversart]

I won’t give away the ending Kevin, but now you know. 😀

[@kevin_mitchell]

Well, I had the principle right, except that I had shade and shadow applying to the wrong object.

[@osogrande4999]

There is no such thing as shade and shadow, surfaces are lit from any light managing to bounce onto it and into your eyes, it would be more beneficial to teach some high level light physics rather than make some incorrect distinction between so called shade and shadow. It is perfectly feasible that more light can hit your so called shadow surfaces, depends on what surfaces might bounce light directly into it, and let’s ignore the surface material, reflectiveness and local colour which all contribute to the final value. But great videos 😊

[@stephentraversart]

I would have thought they were real effects created by less light reaching certain surfaces for the two different reasons. Bouncing light means there is still some light of course on every surface. They are real effects. Yes, many things impact final value, but a generalised understanding is adequate for drawing, I believe. 😀

[@osogrande4999]

@@stephentraversartYes it’s probably a useful way to enforce closer observation, but what you’ve said there just isn’t true. There are not 2 different reasons to explain the surfaces you’re showing, there are the surfaces that are getting lit directly, and then there are the surfaces that are receiving bounced light (either diffused through the atmosphere or bounced off local surfaces, generally speaking of course because even direct sunlight is diffused through the atmosphere). What I mean to say is that if you can see a surface facing away from the light source (what you call shade) and a surface that is facing the light but blocked (what you call shadow) then both are lit by bounced light and moreover either could be a brighter value than the other depending on what is bouncing light onto it. My problem is that I understand light very well as I have a background in writing 3d engines that perform lighting calculations on any surface.. I just can’t render anything decent in ink though, there seems to be some use of representing “real” values and then again lots of parts of ink drawings are deliberate decisions around showing contrast even showing a dark surface as pure white to fit the scene, and it ends up looking great. I just can’t seem to make that jump. :/

[@MossyMozart]

I hate it when I see images for sale in galleries where the artist does not have an understanding of shades, shadows, OR perspective. I am not a pro, just a doodler, but it really bugs me when I see pros who _don't know_ . Personally, I would never buy something like that and haven't.

[@stephentraversart]

It’s so helpful to know, because it helps us to see the reality in life or our photos. 😀