plate no. 1684

A Lady in a Tang Poem.

Xu Beihong, 1939

oilPost-Impressionismgenre paintingfiguretreeblossomslandscapetraditional clothingfoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering washes, creating subtle value gradations, and depicting organic forms with expressive brushstrokes. It also provides practice in figure painting within a landscape setting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and the main tree branches.
step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted brown or ochre to establish the background tone.
step 03
Begin layering darker values to define the tree trunk and branches, using a dry brush technique for texture.
step 04
Paint the figure's clothing, starting with the lighter areas and gradually adding shadows and details.
step 05
Add the blossoms using small, delicate brushstrokes of white and pale pink.
step 06
Define the facial features and hair with fine lines and subtle shading.
step 07
Add details to the foreground foliage, using varying shades of green and brown.
step 08
Refine the overall composition and add any final touches.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · ivory black · raw sienna · cadmium yellow light

Achieve the various brown tones by mixing burnt umber with white, yellow ochre, or raw sienna. Use white to create pale tints for the blossoms and figure's clothing.

techniques