Controlled paint application or drawing is used to create accurate transitions from light to dark and from color to color that fully indicate the three-dimensional form of objects/characters/scenes. Such careful rendering can be used to create an immersive experience of a real or imagined scene, and it can provide a sense of the artist's affection for and/or connection with the subject. With the physical appearance of the subject fully rendered, the viewer can study and appreciate the anatomy of a creature, the design of an object, or the natural wonders found in a landscape.

Fully rendered light to shadow can also be used in purely abstract works that create an immersive illusion of a three-dimensional abstraction.

Full and careful rendering can be employed in order to impress the viewer with skillfulness. Obsessive rendering can create a sense of awe as the viewer becomes aware of the time and dedication required to faithfully represent the forms and colors the artist has observed or, in the case of surreal works, the forms and colors the artist has imagined.

Featured: Portrait of Monsieur Bertin by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres