Shadows

Every artist has their own way of approaching light and shadow. Sometimes I go by feel (not very helpful in way of an explanation.) However, this time I made a conscious decision on how I would mix colors for the shadows on the fur.

I thought bringing in the grayer of the sky colors would help unify the painting. By mixing ultramarine blue, a little King's blue, paynes gray and titanium white I had a color slightly bluer and more vibrant than the darkest gray-blue on the horizon. It is a delicate balance for the color. Too little blue and you don't have enough shadow, too much and you have a dog with blue fur!