This study brings together everything we’ve learned from the Cube Shading Reference, Sphere Shading Reference, Cylinder Shading Reference, Cone Shading Reference, and Torus Shading Reference.

A single form only has to answer to itself. Group several and each one casts shadows onto its neighbors, wraps those shadows around curved surfaces, and competes for the same light source. That interplay is the real subject of a still life.

Unlike static reference images, this interactive tool lets you reposition every primitive, adjust the lighting, and build compositions that match what you want to practice.

The scene loads with a green light to set the mood, but switch it to white for a neutral, pure-value setup. For an especially dramatic study, set the ambient light, the one with the dotted outline, to 0 brightness.

Reposition the forms, relight them, and study!