Study for an Onion Dome

I chose to illustrate this architectural feature because of its beautiful geometric forms.

You may already be familiar with onion domes from the famous ones that top Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. They are named for their resemblance to onions (although, personally, I think they have a greater resemblance to garlic bulbs).

Using the onion dome as a subject allowed me to explore some light and color techniques.

I envisioned the dome being dramatically lit from behind by a cool light (like moonlight) that enhances the blue colors and dulls the oranges. This type of backlighting is commonly referred to as rim lighting.

In the shadows, I chose a reflection of warm light (possibly from street lamps below) that conversely enhances the orange colors and dulls the blues.

Ultimately, painting the serpentine patterns of light and shadow on the onion dome was an interesting exercise that I found enjoyable. If I were to develop this study further, I would work more on the edges of the forms and probably increase the overall Chroma of the orangish colors.