A New Painting: "Shadowed Triangle"

Shadowed Triangle, egg tempera on calfskin parchment, 9 1/8 x 6 3/4 in.

This image is a fairly simple one: horizontals and a big diagonal making a triangular shape. But that truncated triangle is parallel to the picture plane and is attached to a cylindrical volume which recedes, so that adds a little complication. There was also the question of what color to paint the shape on the lower right. In "real life" it was a grassy background, but I didn't want to use green since it would be too close to the shadow colors. I tried a red but that didn't work. I ended up with a dark green-blue, which I think sits back in space where I want it but isn't too demure. 

Shadowed Triangle detail

Then there's the always tricky task of making paint look like light and shadow. I have this odd desire to be, at the same time, an abstract painter and a naturalistic one; it's a continuing and fascinating challenge.


*I'll be away for a few days; see you sometime next week.