Musing Upon Colours

Techniques of the Impressionists: What Colors are Shadows?

in my journeys to investigate the use of colour in shadows, i found this rather interesting article on the Impressionists-- Claude Monet in particular.

the article boasts that shadows in paintings and drawings need not use blacks or greys-- which drain the image of colour-- but instead use complementary colours to enhance the base colour. for example, using deep greens to shade an object with a reddish tinge would simply make both colours seem more vibrant. for the style of Impressionism, this is ideal.

if the desired effect is not a bold contrast, then other coloured shades may be more suitable. a shadow with a pinkish hue gives a softer feel to the object, where blues would create more depth. experimenting is the key, here.