Ambient occlusion

Okay kiddo, so imagine you're drawing a picture of a room with a lamp in it. The lamp will make some parts of the room brighter than others, right? But there are still some areas that won’t be lit up as much, like the corners or under a desk.

Ambient occlusion helps you add shadows to those areas that wouldn't be as bright or directly lit up, as if light was being absorbed in those parts. It's like a tool that makes everything in the room seem more 3D and realistic, so you can feel really immersed in the picture you're making.

Think of it like playing hide-and-seek - if you're behind a big, tall object and not in line of sight of the seeker, you're "occluded" from their vision. Ambient occlusion is a similar idea, but for how light affects objects in our artwork.

Hope that helps, kiddo!