Light can affect the perception of form primarily by creating shadows and highlights. This technique enhances the three-dimensional appearance of objects, allowing us to understand their shape and depth. While altering texture, emphasizing elements, and changing color can also influence perception, shadows and highlights are particularly crucial for conveying dimension and form.
When light hits an object, it illuminates certain areas (highlights) while creating darker regions (shadows), which together help define the contours and edges of the object. This interplay of light and shadow is fundamental in visual arts, photography, and design for rendering a convincing sense of form and volume.