These drawings illustrate the emergence of shadows in the history of art.
Why read about the creation of shadows?
'Shadow and enlightenment' by Michael Baxandall, is very enlightening on the morphology of shadows in artistic representation. But what is most interesting is to read about how creative people actually came to understand and support the visual phenomena and how they chose to utilize it to represent their collective contemporary vision.
As an overall effect of studying this essay, one cannot see shadows again in the same light. It makes one regret not having been an artist in the period of history when art and science were not separated yet by the abuse of overall technical advancement. Just so as to be at the threshold and possible re-invent shadows!
Highly recommended for painters, sketchers, interface visual designers, game world level designers/ artists and the like.
Now, why is the visual representation of shadow important for say, flat screen designers?
Read the book first - it has all the answers.
The book stood on the list compulsory reading' for my MA students (EMMA
Digital Media Design pathway) at the Faculty of Art, Media and
Technology, HKU Utrecht, Netherlands. It is a helpful book even in understanding the difference between 2D and 3D visualization.
Reference: Yale University Press London © 1995 ISBN 2-07-074203-2