SHAD E AN D SH ADO WS

Shade and shadows refers to the technique of determining

areas in shade and casting shadows on surfaces by means
of projection drawing. The casting of shade and shadows
is especially useful to overcome the flatness of multiview
drawings and enhance the illusion of depth.

In an elevation, shade and shadows clarify the relative depth

of projections, overhangs, and recesses within the massing of
a building as well as model the relief and texture of surfaces
receiving the shadows.

In a building section, the shadows cast by the cut elements

provide a sense of how far they project in front of surfaces
seen in elevation beyond the plane of the cut.

In a site plan, shade and shadows convey the relative heights

of building masses and elements as well as reveal the
topographical nature of the ground plane on which shadows are
cast.

In a floor plan, the shadows cast by the cut vertical elements

and objects within the space give us an indication of their
relative heights above the floor or ground plane.

An understanding of shade and shadows is vital not only to

the presentation of a design proposal but also to the study
and evaluation of the design itself. The interplay of light,
shade, and shadow models the surfaces of a design, describes
the disposition of its masses, and articulates the depth
and character of its details. Depending on the technique
used in rendering tonal values, shade and shadows can also
communicate the vivid quality of light that illuminates forms
and animates a space.

1 8 2 / DR AWI NG S Y S TE M S

10_533697-ch06.indd 182 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 S HA DE A N D S H A DOW S

Basic Elements
Light Source
An illuminating source, as the sun or an electric lamp, that
makes things visible. In architectural shade and shadows, we
normally assume the sun to be the light source.
Light Ray
Any of the lines or narrow beams in which light appears to
radiate from a luminous source. The light rays emanating from
the sun travel a distance of 93 million miles (150 million km)
to reach the earth’s surface. The sun is so large and distant a
source that its light rays are considered to be parallel. On the
other hand, artificial light sources, being relatively small and
much closer to what they illuminate, emit radial light rays.
Sun Angle
The direction of the sun’s rays, measured in terms of bearing
and altitude.
Bearing
A horizontal direction expressed in degrees east or west of a
true or magnetic north or south direction.
Azimuth
The angle of horizontal deviation, measured clockwise, of a
bearing from a standard north direction.
Altitude
The angular elevation of a celestial body above the horizon.
Shade
A relatively dark area on those parts of a solid that are tangent
to or turned away from a theoretical light source.
Shadow
A relatively dark figure cast upon a surface by an opaque body or
part of a body intercepting the rays from a theoretical light source.
Shade Line
A line on an object that separates an illuminated surface from
one in shade. A shade line is also called a casting edge.
Shadow Plane
A plane of light rays that passes through adjacent points of a
straight line.
Shadow Line
The shadow that a shade line casts on a receiving surface.

M ULTIV IEW D RAWINGS / 1 8 3

10_533697-ch06.indd 183 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 SHAD E AN D SH ADO WS
In multiview drawings, we assume the conventional direction of
sunlight to be parallel to the diagonal of a cube from the upper
left front corner to the lower right rear corner. While the true
altitude of this diagonal is 35° 16', in plan and elevation views,
this direction is seen as the 45° diagonal of a square. This
convention produces shadows of width or depth equal to the
width or depth of the projections that cast the shadows.

Shadow of a Point
• The shadow of a point occurs where the light ray passing
through the point meets an intercepting surface.

The casting of shade and shadows in multiview drawings

generally requires two related views—either a plan and
elevation or two related elevations—and the transferring of
information back and forth from one view to the other.

The process begins with drawing a 45° light ray through a point
along a casting edge in both views. In the view showing the edge
view of the receiving surface, extend the ray until it intersects
the receiving surface. Project this intersection to the related
view. The intersection of this transferred line with the ray in the
adjacent view marks the shadow of the point.

1 8 4 / DR AWI NG S Y S TE M S

10_533697-ch06.indd 184 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 S HA DE A N D S H A DOW S

Shadow of a Line
• The shadow of a straight line is the intersection of its
shadow plane with the surface receiving the shadow. The
hypotenuse of the triangular shadow plane establishes
the direction of the light rays, and its base describes their
bearing.
• The shadow of a straight line on a flat surface is the line that
connects the shadows of its end points.
• The shadow of a line that intersects a surface begins where
the line meets the surface.
• A vertical line casts its shadow onto a horizontal surface in
the bearing direction of the light rays.
• A straight line casts onto a parallel plane a shadow that is
parallel to itself. This is also true when the line is parallel to
the straight lines in a curved surface receiving the shadow.

M ULTIV IEW D RAWINGS / 1 8 5

10_533697-ch06.indd 185 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 SHAD E AN D SH ADO WS
• The shadow of a curved line or irregular shape is the line that
connects the shadows of adjacent points along the curve or
shape.

Shadow of a Plane
• The shadow of a plane figure on a parallel plane is identical in
size and shape to the figure.
• The shadow of a polygonal figure on a plane is circumscribed
by the shadows of its shade lines.
• The shadow of a circle is the intersection of the cylinder of
light rays passing through adjacent points of the circle and
the surface receiving the shadow. The shape of the shadow
is elliptical since the section of a cylinder cut by any plane
oblique to its axis is an ellipse. The most convenient method
of determining the shadow of a circle is to determine the
shadow of the square or octagon circumscribing the given
circle and then to inscribe within it the elliptical shadow of
the circle.

1 8 6 / DR AWI NG S Y S TE M S

10_533697-ch06.indd 186 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 S HA DE A N D S H A DOW S

Shadow of a Solid
• The shadow of a solid is bound by the shadows of the shade
lines of the object. It is usually best to begin by determining
the shadows of significant points in the form, such as
the end points of straight lines and the tangent points of
curves.
• The shadow cast by a complex composition of masses is
a composite of the shadows of its simplest geometric
components.
• A shadow line changes direction where it crosses a corner,
edge, or other break in the continuity of a surface.

• Shadows of parallel lines are parallel when they fall on the

same plane or on parallel planes.

Sometimes it is necessary to construct an additional elevation

in order to find where the light rays through the corner points
of a solid intersect the surface receiving the shadow.

In addition to the general principles outlined previously,

the following tenets apply specifically to casting shade and
shadows in multiview drawings:

• A vertical shade line appears as a point in a plan view and

its shadow falls along the bearing direction of the light rays
through that point.
• When the observer looks at the end of a straight line, the
line is seen as a point, and the shadow of the line will also
appear to be straight regardless of the shape of the surface
receiving the shadow.

M ULTIV IEW D RAWINGS / 1 8 7

10_533697-ch06.indd 187 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 SHAD E AN D SH ADO WS
Illustrated on this page are examples of the shadows cast by
typical architectural elements. Two fundamental principles to
keep in mind are:

• Every part of an object in light must cast a shadow. The

corollary to this is any point that is not in light cannot cast
a shadow because light does not strike it.
• A shadow is visible only when there is an illuminated surface
to receive the shadow. A shadow can never be cast on a
surface in shade, nor can it exist within another shadow.

1 8 8 / DR AWI NG S Y S TE M S

10_533697-ch06.indd 188 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 S HA DE A N D S H A DOW S

Exercise 6.15
Using the conventional direction of light rays for multiview
drawings, determine the surfaces in shade and cast their
shadows in the plans and elevations of the two building forms
illustrated to the right and below.

M ULTIV IEW D RAWINGS / 1 8 9

10_533697-ch06.indd 189 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 PA RA L I N E V I E W S

Shade and Shadows

The casting of shade and shadows in a paraline drawing
enhances our perception of the three-dimensional nature
of volumes and masses and articulates their spatial
relationships. In addition, the tonal values used in rendering
shades and shadows can help differentiate between vertical,
horizontal, and sloping planes. For the basic concepts and
terminology of shade and shadows, refer back to Chapter 6.

It is convenient to visualize the three-dimensional relationships

between light rays, shade lines, and cast shadows in paraline
views because they are pictorial in nature and display the three
major spatial axes simultaneously. In addition, parallel light
rays and their bearing directions remain parallel in a paraline
drawing.

In order to construct shade and shadows, it is necessary to

assume a source and direction of light. Deciding on a direction
of light is a problem in composition as well as communication.
Remember that cast shadows should clarify rather than
confuse the nature of the forms and their spatial relationships.
The lower the angle of light, the deeper the shadows; the
steeper the angle, the shallower the shadows. In any case, the
resulting shadow patterns should not conceal more than they
reveal about the forms being depicted.

Occasionally it may be desirable to determine the actual

conditions of light, shade, and shadow. For example, when
studying the effects of solar radiation and shadow patterns
on thermal comfort and energy conservation, it is necessary to
construct shades and shadows using the actual sun angles for
specific times and dates of the year.

PARALINE D RAWINGS / 2 1 7

11_533697-ch07.indd 217 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 PAR A L I NE V IEWS
For ease of construction, the bearing direction of the light
rays is often parallel with the picture plane and emanates
from either the observer’s left or right. Consequently, the
altitude of the light rays appears true in the drawing and their
bearing direction remains horizontal. While the desired depth
of shadows should determine the altitude of the light rays, we
often use 30°, 45°, or 60° angles because of their convenience
when drafting with 45° and 30°/60° triangles.

We can construct a rectangular prism to discern the direction

of shadows cast by vertical and horizontal lines parallel to the
major axes of a paraline drawing. From the apex of a vertical
shade line, draw the direction of the light rays to meet the
shadow cast by the line on a horizontal surface in the bearing
direction of the light. This is the volumetric diagonal of the
prism. Then construct the remaining edges of the prism parallel
to the major axes of the paraline drawing.

Each of the upper horizontal edges casts onto a vertical face

to which it is perpendicular a shadow in the direction of the
diagonal of the face. Each casts onto a parallel vertical face a
shadow that is parallel to itself.

2 1 8 / DR AWI NG S Y S TE M S

11_533697-ch07.indd 218 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 PA RA L I N E V I E W S

Digital Shade and Shadows

3D modeling software typically includes the ability to specify
the direction of sunlight according to the hour of the day
and the time of the year, and to cast shade and shadows
automatically in both paraline and perspective views. This
feature can be especially useful in the schematic design phase
to study the form of a building or the massing of a building
complex on a site and to evaluate the impact of the shadows
they cast on adjacent buildings and outdoor areas.

• Late spring morning

• Early spring morning

PARALINE D RAWINGS / 2 1 9

11_533697-ch07.indd 219 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 PAR A L I NE V IEWS
The digital technique for determining what surfaces are
in shade and the shapes of the shadows cast in a three-
dimensional image or scene is referred to as ray casting. While
efficient and useful for preliminary design studies, ray casting
does not take into account the way the light rays from an
illuminating source are absorbed, reflected, or refracted by the
surfaces of forms and spaces. For a visual comparison of digital
lighting methods, see pages 358–59.

• Early spring afternoon

• Late spring afternoon

2 2 0 / DR AWI NG S Y S TE M S

11_533697-ch07.indd 220 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 PA RA L I N E V I E W S

Exercise 7.11
Construct the shade and shadows for the structure described
in the paraline view below. Assume the parallel light rays of the
sun have an altitude of 45° and a bearing direction to the right
and parallel to the picture plane.

Exercise 7.12
For more practice, assume the same direction of light rays and
construct shade and shadows for the structure described in
Exercise 7.4.

PARALINE D RAWINGS / 2 2 1

11_533697-ch07.indd 221 10/19/10 9:21 AM

 SHAD E AN D SH ADO WS
The casting of shades and shadows in linear perspective is
similar to their construction in paraline drawings, except that
the sloping lines representing the conventional or actual light
rays appear to converge when oblique to the picture plane.
Light sources behind us illuminate the surfaces we see and
cast shadows away from us, while sources in front of us cast
shadows toward us and emphasize surfaces that are backlit
and in shade. Low light angles lengthen shadows, while high
light sources shorten them.

To determine the vanishing point for the light rays, construct a

triangular shadow plane for a vertical shade line in perspective,
having a hypotenuse establishing the direction of the light
rays and a base describing their bearing direction. Because
the bearing directions of light rays are described by horizontal
lines, their vanishing point must occur somewhere along the
horizon line.

Extend the hypotenuse until it intersects a vertical trace

through the vanishing point of the bearing direction of the
light rays. All other parallel light rays converge at this point.
Light source behind the spectator This vanishing point represents the source of the light rays,
and is above the horizon when the light source is in front of the
observer, and below the horizon when behind the observer.

Since a vertical edge casts a shadow on the ground plane in the

direction of the light ray, the shadow converges at the same
vanishing point as the bearing direction of the light ray.

Since a horizontal edge is parallel with the ground plane and

thus casts a shadow parallel with itself, the shadow cast by
that edge converges at the same point as the casting edge
itself.

Light source in front of spectator

2 7 8 / DR AWI NG S Y S TE M S

12_533697-ch08.indd 278 10/19/10 9:22 AM

 S HA DE A N D S H A DOW S
When the light rays originate from either the observer’s right or
left and are parallel to the picture plane, they remain parallel in
perspective and are drawn at their true angular elevation above
the ground plane. Their bearing directions remain parallel to each
other and the horizon line, and are drawn as horizontal lines.

PERSP ECTIV E D RAWINGS / 2 7 9

12_533697-ch08.indd 279 10/19/10 9:22 AM

 SHAD E AN D SH ADO WS

Exercise 8.16
Given the shadow plane ABC, construct the shade and shadows
for the structure in two-point perspective.

2 8 0 / DR AWI NG S Y S TE M S

12_533697-ch08.indd 280 10/19/10 9:22 AM