Paint light and shadow relationships
See this course’s project requirements
An original limited-palette still life in a free raster editor with named layers, controlled edges, a reversible mask, PNG export and native source.
Keep your working files in your own notebook or software. Save a private description, checklist, and work link in My Proof.
What to include
- Create a limited-palette still life with named object layers.
- Record canvas pixel dimensions and a stated light source.
- Demonstrate different hard/soft edge relationships.
- Hide and restore one region with a transparency mask.
- Deliver native source, reopened full-canvas PNG and an honest revision/test note.
Review and revise
Use these criteria to check your work and choose what to improve.
- Composition/value: large forms follow the named light and palette.
- Layer ownership: objects remain separately editable.
- Reversibility: mask hide/restore preserves source pixels.
- Delivery: actual export matches the intended canvas and source.
Want more background?
The idea in everyday life
Begin with large value regions. Use a brush size large enough to avoid noisy patches, and evaluate the whole study at reduced zoom. On curved objects blend transitions selectively; on flat faces preserve a plane change. Normal layer mode and a limited palette are enough for this study; unusual blend modes are optional.
Light and shadow establish form before decorative detail.
Paint light and shadow relationships — worked practice
Light and shadow establish form before decorative detail.
Upper-left light plan: cream on the cup’s upper-left rim, orange midtone across its body, brown shadow on the right. Ball receives a light upper-left patch and a gradual darker lower-right turn. Box top is lighter than its right side. Ground Shadow extends lower-right. A broad highlight on every side would imply a different illumination setup and flatten the specified forms.
1. 3.1 Paint
Add a named Light Study or Highlights paint layer above the object layers, or use separate child paint layers for each object. Retain the block-in source.
You should see: The block-in remains recoverable.
2. 3.2 Paint
Place the largest light/shadow regions using the supplied upper-left light plan. Check their location before applying small highlights.
You should see: Large value regions match the named light.
3. 3.3 Paint
Reduce zoom to inspect whether the objects remain distinct. Adjust a value that merges with its neighbor while preserving the named light direction.
You should see: Reduced-size viewing exposes merged forms.
4. 3.4 Paint
Create a small upper-right-light variant on duplicate layers. Move the relevant highlight/shadow regions, save it separately and compare the changed form reading.
You should see: The changed-light variant changes actual pixel relationships.
What to finish
A light/shadow study and an upper-right-light comparison.
Watch for this
Adding random bright spots without explaining the light they imply.
How can I tell I understand it?
You can justify major value locations and revise them after a light change.
Quick knowledge check
Answer all 3 questions. Get at least 2 right and the lesson completes automatically.
You’ll get an explanation for each answer. Signed in? Your results save to your account.
Pass the check. We’ll save the progress.
Answer all 3 questions above and get at least 2 right. You can review the explanations and try again.
Go to the knowledge checkTools, templates, and lesson sources
Tools and templates
Tools open in a new tab so you can keep your place here.
Sources and further reading
Explore the references behind this lesson.
Source & access notes · checked 2026-10-01
Read canvas, paint layer/compositing, color, selection and export boundaries in official 5.3 documentation; no native Krita session performed.
Access: Public page text or PDF was opened and read through the web reader on 2026-10-01; no signup required for reading.
Reuse: Linked for further study. All LifeStarter scenarios, samples, assets and assessments are original; no source exercises or artwork are copied.
Source & access notes · checked 2026-10-01
Read block-in/form/value workflow and layer guidance; no tutorial image copied or native application claimed tested.
Access: Public page text or PDF was opened and read through the web reader on 2026-10-01; no signup required for reading.
Reuse: Linked for further study. All LifeStarter scenarios, samples, assets and assessments are original; no source exercises or artwork are copied.
Report a problem with this lesson
Tell us what went wrong. Please leave out personal information and private project contents.