plate no. 9330
8. Suruga Chō
Hiroshige, 1857
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students understand linear perspective and how to create depth in a landscape. It also offers practice in rendering figures in a stylized manner.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
1
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 7 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition, focusing on the perspective lines of the buildings and the placement of Mount Fuji.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the sky, mountain, buildings, and ground.
- step 03
Add the details of the buildings, including the roofs, walls, and banners.
- step 04
Paint the figures, simplifying their forms and focusing on their general shapes and colors.
- step 05
Add the clouds around Mount Fuji, using soft, blended colors.
- step 06
Refine the details and add any final touches to enhance the overall composition.
- step 07
Add the text boxes in the upper right and left corners.
color palette
primary · indigo · beige · white · brown
secondary · pink · gray · yellow
Mix indigo with white for lighter shades of blue. Use brown and beige to create the wooden tones of the buildings. Mix pink and white for the clouds.
techniques
- ·flat color application
- ·linear perspective
- ·simplified figure drawing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·color blocking
common pitfalls
- →Incorrect perspective leading to a distorted image.
- →Overly detailed figures that detract from the overall composition.
- →Muddy colors due to over-mixing.
- →Inaccurate proportions of Mount Fuji relative to the buildings.
materials
surface · watercolor paper 140lb
required
- ·watercolor paints or gouache
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·watercolor paper
- ·pencil
- ·eraser
- ·ruler
- ·palette
optional
- ·masking tape
- ·color pencils
- ·fine liner pen
Using a smooth watercolor paper will help achieve the flat color look. Gouache can be used to achieve more opaque colors.
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