The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Complete · Chapter 155On Light Between Shadows
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When you are drawing any object, remember, in comparing the grades of light in the illuminated portions, that the eye is often deceived by seeing things lighter than they are. And the reason lies in our comparing those parts with the contiguous parts. Since if two [separate] parts are in different grades of light and if the less bright is conterminous with a dark portion and the brighter is conterminous with a light background—as the sky or something equally bright—, then that which is less light, or I should say less radiant, will look the brighter and the brighter will seem the darker.
248.
Of objects equally dark in themselves and situated at a considerable and equal distance, that will look the darkest which is farthest above the earth.
249.