Jul 22, 2007

Shadows


While drawing in Bologna I learned something new. Italy is all about shadows. No other place I've encountered has ever been quite like this. First, the streets are so narrow that only a small car can pass through. Every building has tons of green shutters hanging beside every window. They are always in various stages of open and close. There are ledges everywhere too. When I would sit to draw at say eleven o'clock in the morning, by eleven fifteen what I was drawing had already changed dramatically. At first this really threw me for a loop but I realized I could turn it to my advantage. I usually crosshatch my shadows on buildings and objects. It is a lot of work but I do it because the end result is so impressive. I found I couldn't do this in Bologna because the sun wouldn't cooperate. So I began to do something new. I would take an hour and draw a building and color it in but I would leave out the shadows. I would return to the exact spot the next day at a time that I had seen the shadows looking best. Then I would take ten minutes and fill in the shadows only. I love the end result and learned a new trick. I don't have to crosshatch into oblivion in order to make my sketches look top notch.
Another blog in Italy is showing my work. Check it out here.

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