Light/ Value

I. Term:

Light (or Value)

II. Definition of the term: 

The range of tonalities from white to black.  

III. Examples of the term

ACTUAL LIGHT: 

Actual light (from sources such as the sun, a flame, or a light bulb) illuminates three-dimensional objects and creates shadows and highlights.

(James Turrell, Live Oak Friends Meeting House, Houston, 2001)

• This room, designed by James Turrell, features actual light.  He created a 12 foot square opening called a 'skyspace' to let in natural, overhead light.  Recessed lights shine up towards the curved ceiling.  Actual light also shines in through the doorways.

EFFECTS OF ACTUAL LIGHT: 

The appearance of an object can change dramatically as the source of actual light changes.

This is how the face of Abraham Lincoln appears when it is lit from above with an artificial light source.

He is much more sinister with the source of light is from below!  When Daniel Chester French's sculpture of Lincoln was first installed in the Lincoln Memorial, sunlight reflecting off of the polished floor created this disturbing effect.   Artificial lights had to be installed overhead to correct the problem!  You can see that the Abe looks much less Blair Witch when he has lights above him!

IMPLIED LIGHT: 

Implied light refers to the illusion of  actual light in a two dimensional artwork.  The shadows and highlights in a 2-D work are not created by an actual source of light outside of  the work.

In Caravaggio's The Calling of Saint Matthew, 1599-1600, you can see the illusion of light coming from the upper right.  This is implied light, not actual light.   There is not an actual source of light shining on the subjects from outside of the painting.  Instead, Caravaggio has created the illusion of light with paint. 

TENEBRISM:  

Tenebrism refers to the use of dramatic illumination in a painting. This style is characterized by brightly lit figures emerging from a dark background.   In Caravaggio's painting, the illusion of a "spotlight"shining on the men is an implied light often associated with tenebrism.   

2-D TECHNIQUES: 

Gradual shading, hatching, crosshatching, and stippling are some of techniques artists use to create light and dark variations:

gradual shading	hatching	crosshatching	stippling

• Dark values can be created by making dense marks.  Areas with more disbursed marks look lighter.

VALUE SCALE: 

Here is a value scale.  A value scale is a visual series of spaces starting with white or the lightest tint on one end, and gradually transitioning to the black, the darkest shade.   The addition of white creates tints and addition of black creates shades.

CHIAROSCURO:  The term, chiaroscuro, refers to the use of subtle gradations and deep variations of light and dark values in a two-dimensional work.  Chiaroscuro can be used to enhance the delineation of forms within the work and create dramatic contrast.  Chiaro means "light"or "clear"and oscuro means "dark"or "obscure."

IV. Interactive: Click on the RED CIRCLE to begin.