The Old Masters understood how light and shadow reveal forms, especially the form of the human face. Even their quick and casual drawings reveal this understanding. I offer here four examples of such drawings—three by Rembrandt Van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669) and one by Jean-Antoine Watteau (French, 1684 –1721). The drawings are shaped by careful observation, of course, and by principles Rembrandt and Watteau learned from copying the work of masters who came before them.
Here are five such principles:
Each drawing includes a light object in front of a darker background, and the reverse, a dark object in front of a lighter background.
The most strongly lit part of the drawing is lightly indicated with the barest of outlines and thin, transparent washes.
The shaded parts of each drawing are generalized and unified to give the effect of a silhouette.
Within the shaded part of each drawing, “secondary light” — that is, light reflected from nearby walls or sky—slightly lightens some of the features.
The most highly detailed features lie between the lighted and the shaded sides of the subject.
Your art will develop and strengthen when you make their principles yours by copying these masters in your turn. As you copy, keep in mind the accompanying bulleted points on how the artist applied the principles. The pictures are presented in order from simple to complex, so copy them in order.
Rembrandt, himself facing front, with reed pen and a thin wash of ink
• Light outlines, broken in places, indicate where the light shines on the shoulder and the lower part of the collar; the shading above and below the eye on the lighted side is so light it is barely visible, and the hair is drawn with fine lines. The upper part of the collar and the ear are defined by the darker hair in back of them (a light object against a darker background).
• On the shaded side of the head, the darkened hair, face, collar, and coat are sillhouetted against the light background as a unit (a dark object against a lighter background).
• Within the shaded area, secondary light slightly illuminates the upper eyelid, the cheek, and the jaw line.
• Between the lighted area on the left and the shaded area on the right, Rembrandt emphasizes the eye, bottom of the nose, and mouth with shadow and detail, making them three-dimensional in comparison to, for example, the ear.
Watteau, man, three-quarter view in chalk.
• White chalk on the collar and the ear shows where the light hits most directly. Watteau outlines the collar itself with a loose, light, broken line and a few darker accents. Further down, the collar is defined by the dark under the chin (light against dark).
• On the shaded side of the head, the hair and face are sillhouetted against the light background as a unit (dark against light).
• Within the shaded area, the secondary light slightly illuminates the eyelid, brow ridge, and the cheek under the eye.
• Between the light and the shaded areas, the eyes, nose, mouth, and chin stand out against their own shadows (light against dark).
Rembrandt, man facing left, pen and wash.
• In this profile, the light shines from the left, straight into the man's face. Rembrandt treats his subject’s features accurately but lightly with a line that thickens to indicate shadow under the hat, under the nose, between the lips, and under the unshaven chin. Also note that the darkness of the hat’s underside makes the shadowed forehead appear light in comparison (light against dark).
• On the shaded side, the hat and hair combine to form a silhouette against the light background (dark against light).
• Reflected light in the hat’s shadow on the forehead is lighter than the hat itself (light against dark).
• Between the light on the face and the shadowed back of the head, Rembrandt gives shape and emphasis to wavy hair, part of the ear, and stubble on the jaw with heavy lines.
Rembrandt, heavy man, pen and wash.
• The light, coming from the upper left-front, catches on parts of the figure: the fur of the subject’s coat, his cheek, beard, side of his nose, and part of the cheek on the other side of his face. Rembrandt sets off the tufts of fur with light wash and quick, dashed lines.
• On the shaded side of the face, the darkened hat, collar, and little bit of hair behind the face’s right edge make a silhouette against the light background (dark against light). However, the darker darkness of the hat and fur collar make the shaded part of the face appear luminous against the hat and fur (light against dark).
• The shaded part of the figure is also lightened where Rembrandt suggests reflected light along the right side of the face and beard.
• And, between the light and shadowed sides, Rembrandt treats the facial features with emphasis and detail — dark lines for the mouth and especially the nose and light lines for the subtler shaping of the corners of the mouth and the chin.
The Moon
Which of the principles can you identify on this photograph of the moon?