plate no. 6053

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

John William Godward, 1912

oil, canvasNeoclassicismportraitfiguredressflowersseamountainslandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, drapery rendering, and creating atmospheric perspective in landscapes. It also provides practice in achieving smooth blending and subtle color transitions.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and the horizon line.
step 02
Block in the main color areas: sky, sea, mountains, figure's dress and skin, and the marble bench.
step 03
Develop the background landscape, paying attention to atmospheric perspective by making distant elements lighter and bluer.
step 04
Refine the figure's form and features, focusing on accurate proportions and subtle shading.
step 05
Add details to the dress, capturing the folds and highlights with careful brushwork.
step 06
Paint the marble bench, using subtle color variations to create a sense of depth and texture.
step 07
Add the flowers in the foreground, paying attention to their shapes and colors.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition, ensuring that the colors and values are balanced.

color palette

primary · rose madder · yellow ochre · cerulean blue · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · cadmium yellow light · purple

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of rose madder. Create the dress color by mixing rose madder with white and a touch of yellow. Mix blues and whites to achieve the sky and sea.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·blending
·atmospheric perspective
·drapery rendering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to capture the subtle color variations in the skin tones.
→Creating harsh lines or edges instead of smooth transitions.
→Ignoring the principles of atmospheric perspective in the background.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (rose madder, yellow ochre, cerulean blue, ultramarine blue, burnt umber, cadmium yellow light, titanium white)
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette
·palette knife