I keep seeing people post art with way too much contrast

In the last few weeks I noticed a bunch of digital portraits where the shadows are totally crushed black and highlights are blown out white. It makes the whole piece look harsh and disconnected from reality. I get that high contrast can be a style choice, but it's like people are skipping the midtones entirely. How do you balance contrast without losing that soft depth or am I just missing the trend?

2 comments

2 Comments

ross.jason21d ago

Honestly blown out highlights and crushed shadows are just a lazy shortcut for people who don't want to render proper form.

olivia57321d ago

Idk, I get what you're saying about "lazy shortcut" but I think it depends on what look you're going for. Sometimes blowing out highlights adds a dreamy, film-like vibe that's more about mood than technical perfection. And crushed blacks can help focus the eye on the subject if you use them right. It's not always about hiding bad rendering its a stylistic choice.