Abstract
Individuals tend to perceive the direction of light to come from above and slightly from the left; it has been speculated that this phenomenon is also producing similar lighting preferences within 2-dimensional artworks (e.g., paintings, advertisements). The purpose of the present study was to address if lighting bias was present in the 3-dimensional medium of sculpture by implementing a virtual art gallery lighting paradigm. Thirty-nine participants completed a computer task that consisted of 48 galleries each containing one sculpture (24 original sculptures, 24 mirror-reversed) which was surrounded by eight lights (above/below, left/right, front/back). Participants would select one light source to illuminate the sculpture in a manner they perceived to be the most aesthetically pleasing. The results indicated a significant preference for lights positioned from above and from the right, a finding that is contradictory to previous lighting bias research examining artworks. An interpretation for the rightward bias applies the perceptual concept of subjective lighting equality. Objects illuminated from the left typically appear brighter in comparison to right-side lighting; in sculpture, however, increased luminosity can reduce the sculptural detail, and may have been compensated via right-side lighting choices within the lighting task.
Highlights
Visual perception is guided by implicit assumptions in order to make sense of ambiguous stimuli
The purpose of the present study is to address this gap in the literature by assessing the prevalence of lighting bias within the 3-dimensional medium of sculpture
The results of the present study suggested a preference for sculptures to be lit from above, to the right, and in front of the sculpture when in a simulated art gallery setting
Summary
Visual perception is guided by implicit assumptions in order to make sense of ambiguous stimuli. One of these assumptions is that the direction of light usually comes from above This phenomenon has been theorized to occur because the earth’s universal light source, the sun, is consistently overhead (Ramachandran, 1988) and has been repeatedly demonstrated through experimental study (Berbaum et al, 1983; Sun and Perona, 1998; Mamassian and Goutcher, 2001; Elias and Robinson, 2005; Adams, 2007). In addition to this light-from-above bias, research has identified a smaller, but reliable leftward lighting bias. Lighting bias has been observed throughout experimental studies using other types of stimuli
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
