highlight

In painting and drawing, the lightest part of an artwork or the subject being viewed. Highlights in a picture represent light reflecting off the subject, and can bring an image to life, making the work more three-dimensional and realistic. Tones used may be white, or light shades of other colours such as pale blues, yellows, and pinks. The highlight should reflect the colour of the light source; a candle, for instance, will cast warm, yellowy highlights, while a television will cast blue tones.

Light may come from a number of sources, and tends to hit objects that project. On a face, for example, the forehead, nose, bottom lip, and chin usually require highlighting.