Painting Shadows in Oil Paint (hint - it's all about the light!)

Painting shadows so that they look natural can be very tricky. If the shadows are right, you don't notice them.
The most important point is to get the colour of them right - the value, the hue and the chroma.
And to gauge what that shadow colour is, you need to be aware of what's happening to the light - where it's coming from, and what it's bouncing off.
In this video, I paint three studies with cubes in different lighting conditions, creating different colours of shadows. If you can follow this in your own paintings, you'll be able to paint convincing shadows.

[@cocochaneldivadiva]

I have NEVER been able to understand cast shadows and all. Thank you so so much!

[@PaulFoxton]

Really glad to hear it helped Shirley

[@earthlywhalen]

Very helpful. Thanks for the shortened version for those of us who couldn't make Thursday and are always in a hurry! I always appreciate your tutorials, Paul.

[@PaulFoxton]

You're very welcome Carol

[@elizabethquinn2687]

Excellent demo...very clearly (and generously) explained. Thank you!

[@PaulFoxton]

Thank you Elizabeth!

[@radar536]

A good teacher make things seems easy. You are one of them. Thx.

[@stimpy331]

Thanks this is such a brilliantly clear demonstration, I've had years of lessons , but I've never heard this simple an explanation. I'm so glad I watched it, thanks for your teaching expertise

[@PaulFoxton]

Thanks Tina, what an amazing comment!

[@janten6554]

Thank you so much Paul. This is truly helpful.😊

[@retiredpainter259]

Loving your work and approach Paul , don’t know if your into landscape work , but would love to see your take on some trees and waters

[@harperbye]

Very clear explanation on fundamentals! This video was a "aha!" moment for me, thank you.

[@PaulFoxton]

Fantastic guanin, thank you!

[@wouterrr]

This is great and essential, thank you!

[@rikkenielsen4148]

My greatest respect to you!! Thank you for your teachings, and I'm still sad that I do not live in the UK!!🌿🌿

[@christinapoulengeris]

Thank you very much. Thus has been really helpful.

[@PaulFoxton]

That's great, thanks Christina

[@jameslabs1]

Good teaching. You Overuse the word “so”. Clear and well organized. Thanks

[@PaulFoxton]

So...

[@marysmith7183]

Wonderful lesson

[@anahitgasparyan9600]

Thank you!

[@tizianocerutti6217]

Thanks for complete and precise explanation. Specially when you compare the effect on colour cast Shadow of different chroma surfaces where Shadow Is casted. It Is really difficult find good explanations in most of cases people speak about nothing for hours...on the contrary you arrive directly to the point, thanks again from Italy Tiziano

[@PaulFoxton]

Thanks so much Tiziano, I'm really glad to hear that - I do try to be clear although I know I get sidetracked and ramble somtimes!

[@bettynight4521]

Thanks!!!!!!

[@Bhodisatvas]

Thank you Paul, indoor cast shadows have always been tricky for me. Can I just ask to clarify my curiosity in example 3 would the shadow side of the yellow cube be a cool yellow because it is away from the ambient light?

[@annesaffer629]

Thank you for this excellent demo! I kept hearing that cast shadows are «brown» not gray, and I just didn’t see it - until I used my color separator! I looked at a cast shadow on my white table, and it was definitely «brown»!

[@PaulFoxton]

Thanks Anne. Yes those colour isolators can reveal some very surprising things at times!

[@muhammadsaad-cr3bw]

Thank u so much. Can i know which brushes are u using plz !?

[@PaulFoxton]

Mostly Winsor and Newton Sceptre Gold, half inch flats and Rosemary's Brushes Angled eclipses. Also Cornelissen's Hog filberts (the best I've yet found by a long way)

[@muhammadsaad-cr3bw]

Paul Foxton thank u so much paul for the info. Your channel is very helpful and responsive 👍

[@doriepetrochko1913]

What kind of demo camera do you use?

[@PaulFoxton]

I have two kinds - a Panasonic GH5 and two Blackmagic Micro Studio cameras.

[@doriepetrochko1913]

Where can I get your chroma chart?

[@PaulFoxton]

That sheet that I showed? It's in the Munsell Student Colour set, you can get it on Amazon - a very useful book I think, for understanding colour

[@sybillemuschik]

It isn't straight forward is it. Harder to do in acrylic to soften the outside areas of the shadows. Thanks for clarifying what is a difficult subject for many.

[@PaulFoxton]

Definitely tricky with acrylics, they dry so fast - even with retarders.