History Main / BrightnessShadows

Instead, artists will generally increase the ''contrast'' of a scene's shading to represent how bright a light is, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' shadows that overwrites the existing lighting.

When a story wants to demonstrate a light is blindingly bright, it's often impractical to have it illuminate in an additive way on top of the ambient lighting. Just making a scene brighter doesn't look that impactful (base color palettes are already pretty bright), and often lightening everything further can make the visuals ''less'' dramatic, not more.

Instead, artists will generally increase the ''contrast'' of a scene's shading to represent how bright a light is, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' shadows on top the existing lighting.

Sometimes this effect represent the [[BlindedByTheLight difficulty our eyes have adjusting to bright lights]] by obscuring the newly created shadowed area, and it's frequently a consequence of color correction. Ironically, extreme brightness doesn't ''feel'' bright unless something else is made darker for juxtaposition and context.

When a story wants to demonstrate a light is blindingly bright, it's often impractical to have it illuminate in an additive way on top of the ambient lighting. Just making the scene brighter doesn't look that impactful (base color palettes are already pretty bright), and often lightening everything further can make the visuals ''less'' dramatic, not more.

Instead, artists will generally increase the ''contrast'' of the scene's shading to represent how bright a light is, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' shadows on top the existing lighting.

Instead, artists will generally increase the ''contrast'' of a scene's shading to represent how bright a light is, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' shadows on top the existing lighting of a scene.

Needless to say, this is not really how light works in real life, leading to some strange consequences. At it's most absurd, the addition of a light source may ''darken'' the subject it's trying to illuminate.

Needless to say, this is not really how light works in real life, leads to some strange consequences. At it's most absurd, the addition of a light source may ''darken'' the subject it's trying to illuminate.

When a story wants to demonstrate a light is blindingly bright, it's often impractical to have it illuminate in an additive way on top of the ambient lighting. Just making a scene brighter doesn't look that impactful (base color palettes are already pretty bright), and often lightening everything further can make the visuals ''less'' dramatic, not more.

Instead, artists will generally increase the ''contrast'' of a scenes shading to represent a light's brightness, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' dark shadows above the shading that already existed. This is not really how light works in real life, and leads to some strange consequences. At it's most absurd, the addition of a light source may ''darken'' the subject it's trying to illuminate.

This technique emulates [[{{Chiaroscuro}} the look of a low diffusion spotlight]] while ignoring the existing lighting in a scene that should realistically make the effect impossible. Sometimes it can also represent the [[BlindedByTheLight difficulty our eyes have adjusting to bright lights]] by obscuring the newly created shadowed area, or could be a consequence of color correction. Ironically, extreme brightness doesn't ''feel'' bright unless something else is made darker for juxtaposition and context.

Instead, artists will increase the ''contrast'' of the shading to represent a light's brightness, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' dark shadows above the shading that already existed. This is not really how light works in real life, and leads to some strange consequences. At it's most absurd, the addition of a light source may ''darken'' the subject it's trying to illuminate.

Instead, light will increase the ''contrast'' of the shading to represent it's brightness, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' dark shadows above the shading that already existed. This is not really how light works in real life, and leads to some strange consequences. At it's most absurd, the addition of a light source may ''darken'' the subject it's trying to illuminate.

Instead, a bright light will increase the ''contrast'' of the shading to represent it's brightness, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' dark shadows above the shading that already existed. This is not really how light works in real life, and leads to some strange consequences. At it's most absurd, the addition of a light source may ''darken'' the subject it's trying to illuminate.

This technique emulates [[{{Chiaroscuro}} the look of a low diffusion spotlight]] while ignoring the existing lighting in a scene that should realistically make the effect impossible. Sometimes it can also represent the [[BlindedByTheLight difficulty our eyes have adjusting to bright lights]] by obscuring the newly created shadowed area, or could be a consequence of color correction. Ironically, extreme brightness doesn't ''feel'' that bright unless something else is made darker for juxtaposition and context.

This technique emulates [[{{Chiaroscuro}} the look of a low diffusion spotlight]] while ignoring the existing lighting in a scene that should realistically make the effect impossible. Sometimes it can also represent the [[BlindedByTheLight difficulty our eyes have adjusting to bright lights]] by obscuring the newly created shadowed area, and can be a consequence of color correction. Ironically, extreme brightness doesn't ''feel'' that bright unless something else is made darker for juxtaposition and context.

Instead, a bright light will increase the ''contrast'' of the shading to represent it's brightness, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' dark shadows above the shading that already existed. This is not really how light works in real life, and leads to some strange consequences. For example, this may make the addition of a light source ''darkens'' the subject it's trying to illuminate.

Even in flat cartoon art that normally lacks shading, bright lights may create dark shadows that don't exist anywhere else in the work. This can be used to situational effects, such as [[StuffBlowingUp to makes explosions look more cool.]] This is also fairly common when characters get electrocuted, and may be combined with XRaySparks. It might also be a property of a BattleAura. When taken to its logical extreme with flash grenades/nuclear explosions, shadows often will become pitch black.

Instead, a bright light will increase the ''contrast'' of the lighting to represent it's brightness, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' dark shadows above the shading that already existed. This is not really how light works in real life, and leads to some strange consequences. For example, this may make the addition of a light source ''darkens'' the subject it's trying to illuminate.

Instead, a bright light will increase the ''contrast'' of the lighting to represent it's brightness, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' dark shadows above the shading that already existed. This is not really how light works in real life, and leads to done strange effects. For example, this may mean the addition of a light source ''darkens'' the subject it's trying to illuminate.

Even in flat cartoon art that normally lacks shading, bright lights may create dark shadows that don't exist anywhere else in the work. This can be used to situational effects, such as [[StuffBlowingUp to makes explosions look more cool.]]

When taken to its logical extreme with flash grenades/nuclear explosions, shadows often will become pitch black. This is also fairly common when characters get electrocuted, and may be combined with XRaySparks. It might also be a property of a BattleAura.

Can become a bit silly when HollywoodDarkness is in play, causing this to happen even in a setting that logically should have been dark enough to support the shadows without issue.

Even in flat cartoon art that normally lacks shading, bright lights may create dark shadows that don't exist anywhere else in the work. This can be used to great effect, such as [[StuffBlowingUp to makes explosions look more cool.]]

Instead bright light will increase the ''contrast'' of the lighting to represent how brightness, with brighter lights somehow ''generating'' dark shadows over the base shading that already existed.

Counter-intuitively, this may mean the addition of a light source ''darkens'' the subject it's trying to illuminate.

This technique emulates [[{{Chiaroscuro}} the look of a low diffusion spotlight]] while ignoring the existing lighting in a scene that should realistically make the effect impossible. Sometimes it can also represent the [[BlindedByTheLight difficulty our eyes have adjusting to bright lights]] by obscuring the newly created shadowed area. Ironically, extreme brightness doesn't ''feel'' that bright unless something else is made darker for juxtaposition and context.

Instead bright light will generally increase the ''contrast'' of the lighting to represent how bright it is, with brighter lights somehow ''creating'' darker shadows over the base shading that already existed.

Counter-intuitively, this can mean the addition of a light source ''darkens'' the subject it's trying to illuminate.

[[caption-width-right:1000:All of these happen in broad daylight.]]

!!Examples

* ''Anime/FairyTail'': Laxus' lightning powers can manifest a dark shading around him while charging up the electricity.
* ''Anime/FateZero'': Gilgimesh's Gate Of Babylon shines a [[HolyBacklight dramatic shadow over him]] whenever he activates it.

* ''Anime/{{Naruto}}'': Lightning release illuminates with darkened shadows, particularly when Sasuke uses it.
* ''Anime/HunterXHunter'': The animators occasionally apply darkened shadows to Killua's lightning attacks to make them more dramatic. He gets a continuous version while activating Godspeed.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''WebComic/{{Paranatural}}'': Spenders light powers cast impossibly dark shadows [[spoiler:although this might be justified by his [[CastingAShadow secondary powerset]].]]

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Lightning-bending can darken character shadows, notably when Iroh first demonstrates it to Zuko and again [[spoiler:when Azula strikes Zuko in the finale.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': In the series finale [[spoiler:when Korra creates a new spirit portal, the purple explosion that engulfs the city darkens everyone's shadows to near black]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'': creates shadows for explosions and bright lights, memorably when King Nemptune's bald head shown so brightly it blinded everyone around him.

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'': Dr Light's flash grenades operate this way, creating a black-and-white flash.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Lightning Bending can darken character shadows, notably when Iroh first demonstrates it to Zuko and again [[spoiler:when Azula strikes Zuko in the finale.]]

-> ''"The brighter the picture, the darker the negative."''

Instead bright light will generally increases the ''contrast'' of the lighting to represent how bright it is, with brighter lights somehow ''creating'' darker shadows over the base shading that already existed.

This technique emulates [[{{Chiaroscuro}} the look of a low diffusion spotlight]], while ignoring the existing lighting in a scene that should realistically make the effect impossible. Sometimes it can also represent the [[BlindedByTheLight difficulty our eyes have adjusting to bright lights]] by obscuring the newly created shadowed area. Ironically, extreme brightness doesn't ''feel'' that bright unless something else is made darker for juxtaposition and context.

When taken to it's logical extreme with flash grenades/nuclear explosions, shadows often will become pitch black. This is also fairly common when characters get electrocuted, and may be combined with XRaySparks. It might also be a property of a BattleAura.

* ''Anime/HunterXHunter'': The animators occasionally apply darkened shadows to Killua's lightning attacks to make them more dramatic. He gets a continuous version while actiating Godspeed.

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'': Dr Light's flash grenades operate this way, creating a black and white flash.

[[/folder]]

When taken to it's logical extreme with flash grenades / nuclear explosions, shadows often will become pitch black. This is also fairly common when characters get electrocuted, and may be combined with XRaySparks. It might also be a property of a BattleAura.

[[folder: Anime & Manga]]

[[folder: Web Original]]
* ''WebComic/{{Paranatural}}'': Spenders light powers cast impossibly dark shadows [[spoiler: although this might be justified by his [[CastingAShadow secondary powerset]].]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Lightning Bending can darken character shadows, notably when Iroh first demonstrates it to Zuko and again [[spoiler: when Azula strikes Zuko in the finale.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': In the series finale [[spoiler: when Korra creates a new spirit portal, the purple explosion that engulfs the city darkens everyone's shadows to near black]].

--> '''Bystander Fish''': ''[[MemeticMutation MY EYES!]]''

* ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'': Storm's lightning attacks create darker shadows upon striking people, as does Rogue's version [[spoiler: when she's copying her powers during their fight]].

-> ''"The brighter the light, the darker the negative."''

INDEX: LightingTropes, JuxtapositionTropes, DarknessAndShadowsTropes, BlackIndexWhiteIndex, RuleOfPerception, ThisIndexGlows