How to draw landscapes in light and shade
Things read best between light and shadow; place the sun, turn east or west, and watch how plants darken against the sky
A precept for the painter on light and shade in depicting landscape. Things wholly in shadow or wholly in light are ill discerned, Leonardo writes, but between light and shadow they stand out well; to portray landscapes one should set the sun at mid-height and turn to west or east. Turning north leaves objects along that line without shadow — most of all those nearest the shadow of one's own head — while turning south makes everything shadowy. Plants seen against the open sky are dark, and plants set against that darkness appear black in the middle and light toward their edges.
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Objects stand out best between light and shadow
Things set wholly in shadow or wholly in light are poorly discerned; between light and shadow they stand out well. To draw landscapes, set the sun at mid-height and turn to the west or the east.
Which way to turn to portray a landscape
Turned to the north, everything along that line is without shadow, especially what lies nearest the shadow of your own head; turned to the south, everything along that line is wholly shadowed.
Plants dark against the sky, light at their edges
Plants that stand toward the sun with the air for their background appear dark; other plants set against that darkness are black in the middle and light toward their edges.