What Is Shadow Color?

While I was researching nigh landscape ikon inwards anime style, I noticed that most skillful paintings used a hue of blue/cyan/purple for shadow. At first, I idea it was simply an fine art conclusion to purpose a to a greater extent than saturated colours inwards painting. But every bit I pass to a greater extent than fourth dimension observing shadow colors inwards existent life, I realized at that topographic point are colours inwards shadow too.

Photo past times blendernpr.org

But why nosotros ever idea shadow are dark or gray? I assume this is because nosotros tend to pass to a greater extent than fourth dimension indoor nowaday where the shadow didnt have plenty heaven calorie-free (ambient). Beside that, cloudy/haze/fog 24-hour interval which block of most of the heaven calorie-free also drive greyish color soft shadow.

Sky Colour

Black shadow unremarkably lit past times the heaven ambient color which is blue. Look at photos I took below to meet the dissimilar shades of blue.


In a clear bluish heaven outdoor environment, shadow are unremarkably blue. #42556E


In a bluish evening, tree shadow which shape past times street calorie-free is withal blue. #222644


6PM, discovery how the darkest shadow on the left withal convey slightly to a greater extent than bluish inwards them. So, purpose darker bluish instead of dark inwards painting. #3F4857 #0E0F3


11AM, the fog glow/glare from the flooring on the left bleed into the shadow resulting a brighter shadow colour. #304660

Object Colour

Shadow color are send upon past times the object's surface (material) color too.


Look at the inwards a higher house photo. The shadow on the path at left convey to a greater extent than warm colours inwards them, spell the shadow on the route convey to a greater extent than blue. This is because of the object surface colour.


10AM, await at the shadow of the leaves behind, they are withal mainly green. #577B92


11AM, the grass shadow color are grass midtone color multiply alongside shadow colour. #3B4B65

Painting Anime Shadow

One quick means to pigment shadow is to seperate the shadow into dissimilar layer in addition to purpose "multiply" blend mode. By using this method, nosotros dont convey to worry nigh what is the shadow color.

Artwork

Some of my artwork which characteristic calorie-free in addition to shadow.

Animated

If nosotros seperate the shadow inwards dissimilar layer. We tin animate them easily too.

Reference

Deviantart Light in addition to Shadow
Deviantart Doge
Deviantart Tree Shadow
Vimeo Tree Shadow
Youtube Tree Shadow