Why an Atheist Thinks the Shroud of Turin is the Real Deal

Techniques of Artists

Artists use many techniques to convey the sense of three-dimensionality into a painting: faces turned at angles, parts of an object or body protruding outward, placement of objects in front of other objects, perspective in which objects appear to become smaller as they recede into the distance, and the play of light on shapes and surfaces. Of all of these, the play of light – showing highlights, lowlights and cast-shadows – is the most important method for conveying depth in a human face. We seem to see this in the face of the man of the shroud. But on close examination we discover that what appears to be the play of light is not light at all.