plate no. 2330
Children at Ice Cream Stand
William H. Johnson, 1939
suitable for beginners
This painting is great for learning about simplified shapes and color blocking. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth through layering and size variation.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, figures, and ice cream stand.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, ground, and buildings.
- step 03
Add the main colors for the figures' clothing and skin tones.
- step 04
Paint the umbrella with alternating red and yellow sections.
- step 05
Add details like windows, facial features, and the wheels of the ice cream stand.
- step 06
Outline the main shapes with a darker color to define them.
- step 07
Add final touches like shadows and highlights to create depth.
- step 08
Refine the details and correct any mistakes.
color palette
primary · light blue · pink · brown · white
secondary · red · yellow · green · black
Mix pink by combining red and white. Create variations of brown by adding blue or yellow to the base brown.
techniques
- ·flat color application
- ·simplified shapes
- ·outlining
- ·color blocking
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →overcomplicating the shapes
- →using too many colors
- →making the outlines too heavy
- →not paying attention to proportions
materials
surface · watercolor paper 140lb
required
- ·watercolor paper
- ·watercolor paints
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·pencil
- ·eraser
- ·water container
- ·palette
optional
- ·ruler
- ·masking tape
- ·color pencils
Use a limited palette of colors to maintain the simplicity of the original painting. Consider using thicker paper to prevent buckling.
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