In the fourth of five bi-monthly articles on simplifying complex subjects in watercolour, Grahame Booth turns his attention to shadows
We don’t expect to see detail in a shadow, particularly on a very sunny day, simply because the shadows will be so dark. By keeping the shadow areas simple, we mimic what we see (or don’t see) in reality as well as being easier to paint! Following the same logic, very brightly-lit areas often have detail bleached out of them. This is particularly obvious in this type of subject where the sun is positioned in front of us. When painting contre jour, shadows are very dark and sunlit areas very light
As I continue this series on simplifying important elements in the landscape, this month I look at shadows, probably the only element that will appear somewhere in every painting. Even on the dullest of days there will always be a degree of light and shade and on those dull days it could well be the only opportunity to create some impact in your painting.
In watercolour we have a rare advantage over the other media in that we can create the illusion of shadows by using a simple wash, but it’s important to remember that shadows are just an effect of light. They don’t actually exist as something physical. You can’t pick one up and take it home with you. It’s vital that the shadow wash only darkens the original underlying colour and texture. The shadow wash must not have a texture of its own or this will destroy the illusion.
