|
Joan:
I'm not a lighting maven, and I don't have years of art class experience, but I'd say that Rembrantd lighting has to do with how it reveals the form and shapes in and of the face through shadow.
The shadow side of the face doesn't have to be in DEEP shadow to be effective. I believe that his basic lighting, where the light is generally high and to one side, can leave some very interesting shadow patterns on the "shadow side" of things. For example, as you noted, on the side of the nose away from the light.
Look again at some paintings using this kind of light, and you should see these interesting patterns. Depending on where the light is, how intense it is, how high it is, will reveal everything from deep to subtle shadows that form some very interesting patterns as it travels down the face and body. The far side of the forehead, the eye socket, nose, shadow side of the mouth, and the chin will reveal, through shadows, the form of the face.
By refining where you place your light, you can highlight the top part of the eye in shadow, for example, or that little triangle of light. These little patches of light on the shadow side add interest, and further define the shape (form) of the face.
As Forrest Gump says, "And that's all I have to say about that."
|