For this challenge, I practiced XPPen Episode 8: “How to Place Light & Shadow on the Face.”

I'm still learning light and shadow, so I focused on the tutorial's approach of understanding the face through simple planes and light direction.

I started by identifying the light source and breaking the face into basic planes to understand which surfaces receive light and which turn away from it. I practiced the concept first with simplified values, then applied the same idea to my own portrait.

I kept everything in grayscale so I could focus on the relationship between light, shadow, and facial structure rather than getting distracted by color.

My biggest tip from this practice:

Don't start by shading individual features. Find the light source first.

Then ask:

• Which planes are facing the light?
• Which planes are turning away?
• Where does the biggest shadow shape fall?
• Do the shadows follow the structure of the face?

I found that thinking in large light and shadow shapes first made the process much less confusing than trying to render every feature immediately.

What I learned most from this exercise is that facial shadows aren't random. They are connected to the structure of the face and the direction of the light.

I'm still practicing, but this exercise helped me understand light and shadow in a much simpler way. I also really enjoyed the process, it was fun seeing the face start to make more sense as I placed the light and shadows.

My biggest takeaway

Find the light first. Understand the planes next. Then place the shadows.

For my next study, I will practice the same approach with different head angles and lighting situations.

Thank you, XPPen, for the tutorial! 💙

#XPPenTutorialPractice