As the Shadows Deepened 

Eyvind Earle created "As the Shadows Deepened" using gouache, a type of opaque watercolor paint, likely on a prepared board or paper surface. The application of this medium is crucial to the work’s impact. Earle built up areas of color in meticulous, smooth layers, creating gradients that suggest depth and shadow. This labor-intensive process gives the landscape its distinctive stylized look, flattening the scene into shapes, while still using color to indicate volume and form. Each shadow and highlight is carefully placed, demanding precision and control of the materials. Although the scene is one of nature, the process, reminiscent of commercial illustration, removes any sense of naturalism. Earle was very successful in animation; this piece reflects his roots in industrial art, contrasting with the unique handmade quality of the original painting. So, in understanding Earle's work, consider how the deliberate manipulation of a traditional medium can result in a sophisticated interplay between craft and commercial aesthetics, challenging distinctions between high art and illustration.