The Technique

Cast shadows are the shadows that objects make when they block the light. They help show where an object is sitting, how strong the light is, and which direction the light is coming from.

This technique is useful because shadows can make drawings feel more solid and believable. Even a simple shape can look grounded when it has a shadow beneath or beside it.

Used For

Objects, still life drawings, buildings, characters, animals, landscapes, and anything that needs to look like it belongs in a real space.

You Can Try

Move the shadow closer or farther away, make it softer or darker, change the direction of the light, or experiment with shadows from different shapes.

Your Turn

Observe the example, practise adding cast shadows to simple shapes, then experiment with light direction in the Shading Toolkit.