plate no. 1353

Children and Doll

Tsuguharu Foujita, 1918

oilExpressionismgenre paintingfigureschildrendollclothingportraitgroup

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing to achieve muted tones, and creating a sense of depth through subtle value changes. It also encourages simplification of forms and expressive line work.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and placement of the figures and the doll.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin wash of neutral colors.
step 03
Begin painting the skin tones, focusing on subtle variations in value and temperature.
step 04
Paint the clothing, using simplified shapes and muted colors.
step 05
Add details to the faces, such as eyes, noses, and mouths, keeping the expressions simple and understated.
step 06
Refine the shapes and values of the figures, paying attention to the relationships between them.
step 07
Add the final details, such as the doll's features and the subtle textures of the clothing.
step 08
Glaze with thin washes to unify the colors and create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white or raw umber. Use thin glazes of color to create subtle variations in value and temperature.

techniques