plate no. 5451

Desire Dehau Reading a Newspaper in the Garden

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismgenre paintingfiguregardennewspaperchairtreesbuilding

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in broken color techniques and rendering form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in capturing a sense of light and atmosphere through color.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and the main elements of the garden.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by blocking in the large areas of color with thin washes.
step 03
Begin building up layers of color using short, broken brushstrokes, paying attention to the direction of light.
step 04
Mix and apply various shades of green for the foliage, incorporating yellows, blues, and violets to create depth and variation.
step 05
Define the form of the figure with darker values and subtle color shifts, focusing on the folds of the clothing and the contours of the face.
step 06
Add details to the newspaper and chair, using small, precise brushstrokes to create texture and interest.
step 07
Refine the background elements, adding highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the color and value relationships to achieve a harmonious and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · viridian green · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

secondary · violet · burnt umber · titanium white

Mix greens by combining blues and yellows, adjusting the ratio to create a range of shades. Use violet to create shadows in the green areas. Mix browns with umber and crimson.

techniques