Colors in Shadow!

Shadow follows light! Shadows form integral part of any good painting. It is also fun painting shadows. However it is a tricky job. Understanding the formation of shadow with its nuances helped me in easing this. Shadow is created by the object blocking source of light. Its intensity depends on the amount of light falling on the object. The shadow formed on the area which receives no light is called ‘cast shadow’. It is usually a darker type of shadow having more definite edges and margins. However its intensity and sharpness of margin lessens as it goes away from the object. 

Other type of shadow, called ‘form shadow’ is formed on the object on the area that is away from light. It is not as dark as the ‘cast shadow’ owing to the ambient light. Its edges are softer and ill defined. It would be apt to call this area as having ‘lack of light’ than forming a shadow. Nevertheless, these shadows with proper lighting play magic on the painting. These finesses make the objects look three dimensional than being ‘flat’.

‘Chiaroscuro’ is an Italian word that literally means ‘light-dark’. It describes using high tonal contrasts both in painting and photography to create fine artworks which have been depicted in old classical paintings.

The last but most important aspect in the ‘shadows’ is the color of the shadow. Shadows are rarely black. It is usually the darker values of the color of the subject (local color). It can be painted by adding the darker tint or using ‘complimentary (opposite) colors’. To be clearer, blue is the complimentary color of orange, Violet is that of yellow and red for green. Various hues of complimentary colors will help to make shadows believable. 

Following are two quick sketches that I did with soft pastels on paper to illustrate painting shadow. The latter of the two is a copy of another artwork done by Deborah Secor, an ace pastel artist. I take this opportunity to thank this angel-hearted lady.

 Here are two of my paintings with some shadows in it. 

Hope I have succeeded in throwing enough light on the shadow so that ‘shadow’ and 'light' amuse you alike in future.