Light flows. Like water, it can gush, bubble, meander, and swirl. It functions as a tangible substance, even though it is physically anything but. Light is the end-all element in a piece, able to make or break it depending entirely on the ability of the artist to wield it effectively. The key element of value (an important idea in the inherent darkness of space), light is something that every artist should study and attempt to understand. It is by far the most dynamic element of celestial art—or any other art for that matter—and those who master it stand out from the rest with works that exhibit a potent vibrancy. How light behaves depends largely on the medium it is reacting to. Energized gas, for instance, emits light on its own illumination, and so by extension becomes light in of itself and has no limits to what it can do. The dust and matter of a reflection nebula, on the other hand, is a little less free, if only by physical definition. Here the light is far more expressive in the form of streams, rays, and shadows. A column of dust, for example, may have rivulets of light curling about it as wisps of dust farther from the main mass escape its shadow to catch light on their own. A thin cloud of matter may also allow corpuscular rays (also known as “God rays”) of light to flow past, streaming out like a holy beacon. Gary Tonge captures this beautifully in his painting, “Etherlight.” On the other end of the spectrum are simpler light reflections.
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Planetary surfaces, for example, may reflect light while their atmospheres refract it in such a fashion that they glow brilliantly. It is important to note also that light is not a two-dimensional creature. Highly receptive to changes in depth and volume, light can be used to emphasize or exaggerate either. A cavern of nebulous dust could become even more dynamic than it is in a merely physical sense by the addition of light (in the form of glowing stars) throughout. Shadows can throw contours into sharp relief, deepening the visual impact of such a structure. A veil of glowing dust between the viewer and a planet can emphasize not only the size of the planet, but its sheer presence and dimensionality as well, drawing attention to the formal contrast between the dust and the magnificent glowing sphere. The list could go on and on—the possibilities of light in a piece are endless. |
The physical nature of light, too, is something to consider. The luminosity of a light source can provide direct focus for a piece, as it is very hard to ignore a properly rendered (drawn) light of brilliant intensity. The quintessential dawning of the sun over the earth would be decidedly lackluster without the telltale flare and diffraction spike, elements that can be used elsewhere to indicate extreme brilliance far more tactfully than an overexposed glare of white and color. Indeed, it has become common to denote brightness by merely upping the levels in a paint program, washing out the object to the point of whiteness. This is not the way to go about things… the best way to show that a light source is incredibly bright is to A) indicate so via how it interacts with the subjects of a piece (reflection) and B) indicate how it would look to a viewer via delicate diffraction spikes and possibly a subtle flare (see below, left). It is also important to note that a camera flare is easily recognized, and too many of these stand out in a glaring fashion. It is a nice tool, no question about that, but like many filters in paint programs, best used as part of a more refined process and not as a singular means to an end. |
The final and most important element of light is its incredible importance to the mood of a piece. Mood plays an important role in the success of the planet and dust veil example mentioned earlier. An exellent example of lighting to effect a mood can be seen in Brandon Hale’s “Incandescence.” (above right) The image, while simple in its subject matter and technique, is extremely effective in conveying a mysterious, almost brooding mood. The light coming from above makes the planets and moons almost aquatic in nature, as if some higher illumination was sheding light upon a community of celestial bodies. Gary Tonge’s “Havona,” (below) also uses light effectively, both as a focus for the piece and to create a feeling of sheer awe. The impact of a piece is directly related to how effectively it is lit, because one of the main draws for such an illustration is the pervasive mood of mystery and awe that the scene would evoke in real life. This holds true for almost any scene, making it all the more important to understand light and how to use it. |
Light is incredibly important to art. Unfortunately, many people are too caught up with the “how” to understand the “why.” There’s no easy answer to how one creates and controls light in a scene beyond simply taking the time to understand it and get a feel for it. For a long time, light has been a particular fancy of mine, an element that I seek to control and harness for the betterment of all my works. I don’t know why, but the idea of a truly immersive image is so incredibly appealing to me that I find myself working towards that goal in everything I do. Light is an essential key to this… the final piece in setting up a truly dynamic environment. Despite the many years that I’ve been playing with it, however, I’ve not yet fully mastered light. The only way to learn is to do, so I’ve been practicing and improving over time. I urge everyone to do the same. |
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