plate no. 9077
Dragon rising to the heavens
Ogata Gekko, 1897
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students understand value relationships and how to create atmospheric perspective using a limited palette. Students will also learn to simplify complex forms into basic shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountain, dragon, and clouds.
- step 02
Block in the background sky with a thin, even layer of diluted color.
- step 03
Establish the darkest values in the dragon and clouds, working from dark to light.
- step 04
Add mid-tones to the dragon's scales and body, paying attention to the form.
- step 05
Paint the mountain, using lighter values and cooler tones to create distance.
- step 06
Refine the details of the dragon's head and features.
- step 07
Add subtle highlights to the dragon and mountain to create depth.
- step 08
Add the text boxes and signature.
color palette
primary · ivory black · titanium white · cerulean blue
secondary · raw umber · red oxide
Mix various shades of gray by combining black and white. Add small amounts of blue to create cooler grays for the sky and mountain. Use raw umber and red oxide to create the dragon's skin tone.
techniques
- ·Value gradation
- ·Dry brushing
- ·Atmospheric perspective
- ·Layering
- ·Blending
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early.
- →Making the values too uniform.
- →Not creating enough contrast between the dragon and the background.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the sky and mountain.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas
- ·Round brushes (small, medium)
- ·Flat brush (medium)
- ·Ivory black oil paint
- ·Titanium white oil paint
- ·Cerulean blue oil paint
- ·Odorless mineral spirits
- ·Palette
optional
- ·Palette knife
- ·Medium (linseed oil or alkyd medium)
- ·Tracing paper
A smooth canvas surface will be easier to blend on. Consider using a toned canvas for a head start on the mid-tones.
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