What term refers to the general effect of color or light and shade in an image?

The term that refers to the general effect of color or light and shade in an image is tone. Tone encompasses the overall quality of lightness or darkness in an image, which can affect how colors appear and how the viewer perceives depth and dimensionality. It plays a crucial role in creating mood and atmosphere in artwork or design by manipulating light and shadow.

While hue refers specifically to the actual color itself (like red, blue, or yellow), and shade pertains to a darker version of a color created by adding black, tone combines both lightness and darkness, shaping the overall visual impression. Contrast is related to the difference between light and dark areas or between different colors, but it does not capture the full concept of light and shade as tone does.