how to work with Global Light in Photoshop.

 

how to work with Global Light in Photoshop.

so here we have a simple wall, and on top of that, we have added two paintings - Painting 1 and Painting 2.

So let's go ahead and add shadow to Painting1 first.

So, double click on the right-hand side of the layer.

This will open up the Layer Style dialog box.

Now inside of that, let's check Drop Shadow.

Once you have the Drop Shadow selected, let's go ahead and zoom in.

Now, this does not look realistic at all.

One way to get realistic drop shadows is to look at other drop shadows in the scene.

 

Click once and then take a sample from right here and you can also try other samples here and there.

So, I'm going to be happy with this.

Now once you do that, also make sure that the Blend Mode is Multiply.

Now, Multiply is a Blend Mode which darkens.

Now, just one shadow right here is not enough, right?

Even if you just go ahead and increase the opacity to the max, and maybe decrease the size here and make it a little harder, this does not look

What I would suggest you do is to add multiple shadows.

So, the light is probably coming from this direction from the left-hand side.

So we have to set an angle like that.

Similarly, I'm going to have some distance, right.

Now, let's go ahead and increase the size.

We want it to be extremely soft, just like this.

If you want, you can decrease the Opacity.

So let's keep the Opacity at about 72.

Now let's add one more Drop Shadow by clicking on the ' ' button right there.

Make it a little harder and then bring it closer, just like so.

You can control the hardness and then control the Opacity.

For the third one, decrease the size even more and bring it even closer.

Now for all of these, just make sure you have checked Use Global Light.

Now that's what we're going to be talking about.

So make sure for this drop shadow, this drop shadow, and even this drop shadow, Global Light is checked.

Once you're satisfied with it, just hit OK.

Let's zoom out and see if this looks realistic.

If you want one more layer, you can go ahead and add that.

Let's double click on the effect and click on ' ' again and this time we're going to bring it even closer, decrease the size even more and bring

And if you want to make it even darker, you can just increase the Opacity, just like so.

Now, we want the same for the painting on the right.

Well, my friend, you guessed it all right.

So hold the Alt key or the Option key, click and drag on the effects and drop it on Painting 2.

Now keep in mind, while creating all of these drop shadows, we made sure that we Global Light was checked, right?

Now if you go to layer and then look at it closely, Layer Style and inside of that, if we choose Global Light, you, my friend, will be able

to control the Angle and the Altitude as well.

So if we go ahead and change the Angle, have a look at what happens.

The angle of all of the shadows changes.

And both these settings will also apply to other compatible effects in Layer Styles.

So if you go ahead and hit OK right here, we can again double click on the effects and maybe for Painting 1, I want to add a Bevel.

Select Bevel & Emboss right there, and then you can just increase or decrease the Depth.

This is the preview that you can refer to.

So you can increase or decrease the Depth.

You can soften it if you want to, but, we will keep it a little harder.

You can also control the shadow and the highlights.

So, if you want more highlights, increase the Opacity.

If you want to increase the shadows, just increase the Opacity.

Just bring it a little around the middle and there you go.

When you take it out, there won't be any shadows right in here.