plate no. 6659
Flora
John William Waterhouse, 1890
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering draped fabric, capturing subtle skin tones, and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in depicting classical architectural elements and floral arrangements.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and the architectural elements.
- step 02
Establish the main light source and block in the major shadow areas.
- step 03
Begin painting the background, starting with the wall and then moving to the foliage.
- step 04
Paint the figure, starting with the skin tones and then moving to the drapery.
- step 05
Add details to the flowers and the statue.
- step 06
Refine the details of the architectural elements.
- step 07
Adjust the values and colors to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber
secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · viridian
Achieve the skin tones by mixing titanium white, yellow ochre, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Create the blues of the flowers by mixing ultramarine blue with titanium white and a touch of alizarin crimson. The greens are achieved by mixing viridian with cadmium yellow and white.
techniques
- ·draping
- ·portraiture
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Failing to establish a clear light source.
- →Using colors that are too saturated.
- →Losing the overall sense of atmosphere.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·turpentine
- ·retouch varnish
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Pre-tinting the canvas with a thin wash of burnt umber can help to create a warm undertone.
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