Design Project
Recreate the Lighting in a Painting or Photograph
Image Analysis Exercise
For your chosen image do the following:
- Describe in a paragraph or so the over-all qualities of the image that
are produced by light. For example, how does light: convey a sense of mood
to you? What is the time of day? What is the location? What colors are created
by light? Describe any other qualities that you attribute to light.
- Divide a sheet of paper in half horizontally. In the top half sketch a
quick representation of the image you are given. (Stick figures or rough
shapes to identify figure, ground, and general composition are fine.) This
should be a pictorial point of view (what we would consider the audience
view in the theatre). In the bottom half sketch a quick groundplan view
of the space as you imagine it to be. (This can be simple lines for walls
or objects and a circle to represent the figure.)
- Based on your own analysis of the image determine the location of the
primary light source. Draw an arrow to indicate the general location and
direction of this source (both from the audience point-of-view (top drawing)
and from a groundplan point of view (bottom drawing). Label these arrows
both as #1.
- Attempt to identify any additional or supplemental light sources. Some
of these may not actually light the figure, but may light parts of the background
or surrounding area. Invent a way to indicate these additional light sources
in both views of your drawing.
Return to Recreate the Lighting
in a Painting or Photograph
