Shadow Tracing

Positive and Negative

Before beginning our paintings, we learned about positive and negative shapes. Positive shapes are the shapes that make up an actual object. The negative shapes are the areas between the objects – in this case, the background.

Tracing Shadows

Shadows make some interesting patterns so we decided to trace them into our sketchbooks. All that is needed is a pencil, paper, and nice shadows from some obliging trees or bushes.

Our only trouble was a slight breeze that made tracing a little tricky. You can try to work quickly, use a little imagination, or have a helper try to steady the plant.

Complementary Colors

After tracing, it’s time to color! This activity makes use of complementary colors. If you need a little refresher on color theory, you can check out our Little’s Color Theory post.

This is a fun activity for watercolors so first, we outlined our shapes with oil pastels. If you remember, oil repels water so it helps keep the background colors separate from the foreground ones.

Similar Posts