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shadeless

shadeless

5.4
Having no change in light and dark so it looks flat
  • adjective
  • /ˈʃeɪd.ləs/
: sin matices
  • Her drawing looked shadeless, with no variation to suggest light or shadow.

Examples

  • A shadeless photograph can appear dull and lifeless compared to one with strong contrasts.

  • The painting looked shadeless under the bright lights.

  • The artist's early work was criticized for being shadeless and lacking depth.

  • Her dress was a shadeless shade of blue.

  • The artist's early work was criticized for being shadeless and lacking depth.

  • A shadeless photograph can appear dull and lifeless compared to one with strong contrasts.

  • Her drawing looked shadeless, with no variation to suggest light or shadow.

Synonyms

unshadowed
vsshadeless
1 7.1

Not darkened by shadow and fully lit

refers to flat appearance from no tonal variation, not just bright light
untoned
vsshadeless
1 7.4

Showing little color or shade

focuses specifically on no gradation between light and dark tones
unshaded
vsshadeless
1 3.5

A picture that has no shadow or shading

is flat in tone overall, not just missing shadow details
monotonal
vsshadeless
1 7.3

A thing that uses only one color or shade

means absence of shading gradation rather than merely one color

How Shaded

shaded
5 3.5
shadeless
5.4

Surface Forms

shadeless positive

Morphology

shadeless = shade (semi-transparent) = shade + less

Formed from 'shade' + '-less' meaning 'without shading'; the artistic sense (lack of tonal variation) is a specialized extension of the literal meaning.

Etymology

Shadeless comes from shade ('dark part or shadow') and the ending -less ('without'), so in art it means 'without shading' and describes a picture that looks flat and has no light and dark contrast.