In the Shadow of the Empress

Now that the yellow dress is mostly complete I’ve begun adding the shadows cast by the Empress onto the bodies beside her, imagining where the light falls. The orange dress needed a lot of work, with much of it dropping deeper into the painting, while the top remains lit. I’ve yet to put shadow into the right side of the yellow dress, which is still a little wet.

I’ve added a pale blue pattern of seven-petalled flowers to the white dress around the hem, which is pretty hard to see but adds an extra layer of delicacy to the dress. I really enjoy these details, which aren’t difficult to do, but add so much to the painting. The pale blue shifts into a slightly greener and lighter hue as it goes to the left toward the light.

About pearce

Michael Pearce is an artist, writer, and professor of art. He is the author of "Art in the Age of Emergence."
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