Quick links to procedures on this page:

Adjusting Impasto lighting and depth

Corel Painter offers surface lighting controls that let you manipulate the overall depth effect that impasto creates. The changes that you make to the surface lighting can increase or decrease the depth, or perceived thickness, of the brushstroke. These controls are global — they affect all the Impasto brushstrokes on all layers.

You can modify the impasto effect by increasing the appearance of depth.

Setting light position and color

You can adjust surface lighting by using preset (simple) lighting or custom lighting. With simple lighting, you can choose one of eight preset lights. With custom lighting, you can add more light sources, and you can move and delete light sources. The lighting sphere shows all possible surface angles and how the lights illuminate them. The light indicators on the sphere show the position of all light sources.

When you disable the Simple lighting option, the lighting sphere appears with a single light indicator. You can then add more light sources and change their position.

In addition, you can change the color of a light source. For example, you can have multiple colored lights interact with the depth to produce different textural effects. You should keep in mind that each light interacts with all the Impasto brushstrokes, so be careful not to set up colored lights that clash with the colors in your composition or light sources that create unwanted shadows.

The image above uses two different colored light sources.

Setting light properties

You can adjust the appearance of depth, in addition to the intensity and brightness of a light source. The adjustments that you make to surface lighting affect all Impasto brushstrokes. To change the depth of individual brushstrokes, you can vary stylus settings or build up media. For more information, see Blending impasto with other layers. Just as the right lighting can bring out the deep-textured look of a brushstroke, the wrong lighting can wash out the effect altogether.

To add, remove, or modify a light source Back to Top

 

In the Light Controls area, enable the Simple lighting check box, and click a light indicator on the lighting sphere.
In the Light Controls area, disable the Simple lighting check box, and click on the lighting sphere where you want to add a new light source.
In the Light Controls area, disable the Simple lighting check box, and move the Lights slider.
Click a lighting indicator, click the Light Color chip, and then choose a color.
To modify surface lighting to adjust depth Back to Top
To adjust the intensity and brightness of a light source Back to Top

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