Shadows... left or right?

jak

jak

Sweet Shoppe SugarBabe
I was looking at shadows... I shadow on the right side of my elements, papers, etc. I've been doing this since my first ever LO. I remember sitting at my desk where I have a lamp to my left and saw that the shadows of everything were falling to the right, so that's how I chose which way to go.

I notice alot of people shadow on the left. So, then I started wondering how do you decide which side to shadow on? Do you look at what other scrappers do? Do you just go with the Photoshop default? Is it a right brain-left brain thing? (I'm definitely left brained - logical, practical, analytical...!!!).
 
I just go with whatever looks good and cohesive... I try moving elements to where the brightest bit on the element falls where I'd like the shadow to be.. I'm no pro though but I am trying my hand at more realistic shadows and even considering lightening up elements to where it all falls in the same angle.. fun experiment over here lol
 
for some reason I do the shadows to the right; not sure why but I like the looks of it. I have purchased shadow styles which I like to use.
 
Mostly I do them at a 45 degree angle, but occasionally I will switch it up if the orientation of the layout looks better with a different angle. For some reason the light source coming from the right casting a left shadow seems like home to me.
 
Left usually but it depends on elements iff I use flairs I go off the shadow direction on them. I also go heavier on flowers and greens then I do papers and cards.
 
I always set my shadows to a 45 degree angle. I think it looks the most natural to me. I design all of the elements in my kits with the highlights (or where the light hits the object) to the upper right and the shadowy, darker side to the bottom left. It makes the page look more realistic when the highlights on the objects match the shadows. :)
 
I shadow at 120. So that's as if the light were coming from the top right.


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YepBrook said:
I always set my shadows to a 45 degree angle. I think it looks the most natural to me. I design all of the elements in my kits with the highlights (or where the light hits the object) to the upper right and the shadowy, darker side to the bottom left. It makes the page look more realistic when the highlights on the objects match the shadows. :)
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I think about this sometimes... but I've been shadowing to the right for 7 years. I figure my pages would look odd if I switched sides now. I should have had my desk lamp on the right all those years ago and I wouldn't have a dilemma now!
 
I don't think you'll really notice the difference if you swap. Sometimes I leave Cindy's shadow angle as is on her templates, which I think is -45. Flipping through my albums I can't say I really notice a big difference between her -45 and my +45 pages. Not enough to make me stop and think "Oh, that's a different shadow angle".
 
I shadow at -20 because that's what Cindy shadows at. When I use shadow styles that are at a different orientation, I just change them to -20 and hit 'Universal Light' so then all the shadows on the page will be at that angle, too.
 
hmm...i think I usually do 45 or so? I use shadow styles but then I adjust the color and opacity and things. Sometimes if I am working with lots of layers I make them be more at the top...so you can see them more..I'm not one that is super picky about the shadows in general. I just go with what looks right at the time on the current page :)
 
I do both 45 and -45 degrees, so there are 2 shadow layers underneath my elements and papers usually. I like things to look realistic and that's how I do it. :)
 
nietis said:
I do both 45 and -45 degrees, so there are 2 shadow layers underneath my elements and papers usually. I like things to look realistic and that's how I do it. :)
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I do kind of the same thing with a 45 degree drop shadow and an outer glow to the top of the element/paper/etc.
 
Pops head in....most of my shadows are the 120 which means it's on the right side of the element.


however I've started shadowing on both, depending on the element and where it falls on the page. Especially for flowers and leaves.
 
I vary mine depending on the LO I am doing. 45, -45, 120 or -120 degrees on both the left and right. Whatever mood strikes and whichever I think looks best for the LO I am creating.
 
Kitartas said:
I shadow all my layouts at 45deg because my first template was from Brooke
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Awww :wub: I don't know why, but this makes me giddy to hear! I was someone's FIRST template? Ha! That's crazy. I still pinch myself that I'm a designer here. :D
 
I do it on the right also, but say, if I'm, using a template, I seldom change the 'placement' of the shadow which was always on the left.
 
I do both, but mostly on the left because of the styles I already have.

However, when I´m doing realistic leaves and flowers that may change
 
Im a 45 gal too, sometimes add an extra -45 if the element doesn't look real or warp it but my brain is set on 45, different angles make me hard to look at a LO, have to switch my button LOL
 
I use 120. I do adjust a shadow here and there if it's not visible or looks "off". But I like the shadows to the right, too.
 
SeattleSheri said:
Top right light source casts a 30-45 degree shadow, a 120 is a top left light source :p [runs and ducks]
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Lol. You're right. I do shadow at 120. Apparently I just had my right and left hand mixed up . . . cause, you know, mentally I'm four.


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I also do a tiny shadow in the opposite edge to add a little more realism.


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I use 45 in my kits wherever there is a shadow like gen centre etc... I also try and make sure the lightsource is 45 on any realistic elements too by rotating.

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