Because the goal of digital scrapbooking is often to create a layout that looks like it has been made from traditional scrapbooking supplies, important decisions about the source of light that is shining on the layout must be made. These decisions can be made by considering the following questions:

• Imagine the light as a flashlight. Where is the flashlight located and what direction is the light shining over the surface of your layout?

• Will more than one flashlight shine on the layout? Which one is producing the most light and which one is producing less light?

• Is there any reflected light (light bouncing off of one object onto another object)?

If you look at shadows in nature, you will realize that shadows fall away from the light that is casting them. A shadow is basically the loss of light, caused by an object blocking the light source. So, if you are imagining a flashlight for your light source, your shadows would need to fall away from your flashlight, since your object is blocking the light from your flashlight.

When you use realistic digital embellishments as part of your layout, these decisions about lighting have often been made for you by the artist who created them. If you are using these types of embellishments, your task is to identify the light source and follow the lighting patterns that have been provided to you. If you follow the light decisions the artist made, you will have satisfactory results on your layout. If you ignore the lighting clues the artist has provided, you will often feel that “something is wrong” with your own creation.

This shows details from a layout in which drop shadows have been added to the page elements on the bottom-right side because the light that shines on the alphas that spell "KING" shines down from the top-left corner.

This shows the drop shadows on the wrong side of page elements. They are incorrect because shadows are never found on the same side as the light.

This is an example of some effects you can create on your layout by simply changing the height of the drop shadows. Notice how the letter “I” pops off of the background, creating a similar effect that a paper scrapper would achieve through the use of pop-dots. Also notice that the letter “G” (without a shadow) almost appears as if it is sinking into the background. This is because your eye is knows that if light is shining on something that has depth, there should be a shadow.

Find the Light

These samples illustrate a variety of light source decisions, as pre-determined by an artist.

Cheryl Barber chooses to place her primary light source so that it is shining down from the top-left corner of her elements. Notice the light and shadows of a button that she has created. If you were to use this button on a layout you have created, make sure that any drop shadows are placed on the bottom-right hand side.

Ann Hetzel Gunkel chooses to use a light source that is shining down from the top right side. If you were to use this tag on a layout, your drop shadows should be found on the bottom-left of the element.

Diane Miller [dinny] has chosen to provide this tag without any pre-determined light source. This would allow you make your own light source decisions.

Tutorial by Ro

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