plate no. 7953
Ducks
Goyo Hashiguchi, 1920
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and understanding how light interacts with water. It also provides practice in rendering realistic animal forms.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the ducks, lily pad, and lily on the canvas.
- step 02
Block in the background water with a light blue wash.
- step 03
Add darker blues and greens to create the ripples and shadows in the water.
- step 04
Paint the base colors of the ducks, paying attention to the different sections of feathers.
- step 05
Layer in details on the ducks, such as the feather patterns and highlights.
- step 06
Add the lily pad and lily, using white and green.
- step 07
Refine the details and add any final touches.
- step 08
Glaze to unify the painting.
color palette
primary · light blue · brown · white · black
secondary · yellow · green · gray
Mix light blues by adding white to a phthalo blue or cerulean blue. Achieve the duck's brown feathers by mixing burnt umber, burnt sienna, and a touch of yellow ochre.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·glazing
- ·dry brushing
- ·blending
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early.
- →Not paying attention to the subtle color variations in the water.
- →Making the ducks look flat by not using enough value contrast.
- →Ignoring the reflections in the water.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic paints
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·paper towels
- ·pencil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·retarder medium
- ·easel
Use a smooth canvas for better blending. Acrylics are recommended for faster drying time.
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