plate no. 4108
A Souvenir
John William Godward, 1920
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering realistic skin tones and drapery, as well as understanding subtle color variations and light transitions.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the figure's pose and proportions.
- step 02
Block in the main color areas: sky, sea, figure's dress, and background elements.
- step 03
Begin layering the skin tones, paying close attention to highlights and shadows.
- step 04
Develop the drapery of the dress, focusing on the folds and how light interacts with the fabric.
- step 05
Add details to the background elements, such as the sea, sky, and flowers.
- step 06
Refine the figure's features and the details of the beads.
- step 07
Adjust the overall color balance and values to create a harmonious composition.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details.
color palette
primary · titanium white · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt umber · cadmium red light · viridian
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and alizarin crimson, with small amounts of blue or umber for shadows. The pinks in the dress are created by mixing white and alizarin crimson. The sea is a mix of blue and white with touches of green.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·rendering drapery
common pitfalls
- →overmixing colors
- →flattening the drapery
- →inaccurate proportions
- →neglecting subtle value changes
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·retouch varnish
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to help establish the initial values.
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