Planning a Lightsource (Needs Help)

[Exalope]

Okeedokee,

Would anyone like to share how they go about determining a light-source when digitally painting (in the rough/planning stages)? I do understand the concept of shading, but have never been able to show a general direction of where light is coming from.
(all of my artwork appears "self-illuminated") X_X...

Any tips/tricks (or even links to a helpful tutorial) would be greatly appreciated :asskisser: !

[daveneale]

I think the obviouse answer is to go out and study how light works in the "real world" and apply it....probably not the answer your after, but easily the best thing to be doing. I think the best thing I can think of other than that is to really think about your image as a 3 dimentional space. You need to be in your image, thinking "where is this light, how far away, how will this form feel in a 3D space". When you look, and really observe how objects are lit in real life (or studying other's artwork), you'll be able to apply it to the rock, or head etc etc that your drawing-you wont just be colouring in, but thinking, when I do this bit, what will be dark, light, where will the shadow fall. Takes practice, but it's worth the effort:)