Understanding how light works are essential to creating dimension in your architectural rendering—there’s no way around it.
Let there be light!
Think about it, without the contrast of light and dark there is no way to show depth or dimension, everything would just be flat and lifeless. You’ve probably seen examples of this with flash photography. When the flash is used improperly it can blast light into every crack and crevice, completely eliminating the contrast created by the shadow areas. When this happens, your subject goes flat, and you lose the dimension that brings life to your work.
Whether you think you understand how light works or not, your brain does. I know that probably sounds a little creepy—your brain has a mind of it’s own—but it’s the truth. If you look at a rendering where light hasn’t been used properly, you’re brain is going to know that something isn’t right. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to harness the power of light in your architectural renderings!