plate no. 2194

Flowers of a West Australian Shrub and Kangaroo Feet

oilNaturalismflower paintingflowersplantsfoliagelandscapeoceansky

what to study here

It shows how saturated warm red can carry a composition through temperature contrast against cool grey and varied greens, with little value contrast.

Look at how the red flower spikes are built. The vision analysis describes small directional marks standing in for individual florets, not smooth modeling, so the spikes read as packed, textured masses. Study how that handling sits against the pale blue-grey sky and water, which is kept soft and recessive. The reds are mid-to-high in value and look bright mainly because they are warm and saturated against cool surroundings, not because of strong light-dark contrast. Then look at the foliage. It is made of many sword-shaped leaves in yellowy and blue-greens, with crisp edges where leaves catch light and softer edges in shadow or at distance. The darkest darks are the brown-red tubular flowers on the left and the shadows inside the foliage. Squint and the picture falls into three zones: pale background, red vertical mass, green-brown foreground. Light comes from the upper left. Copy the green variety first: each group of leaves has its own temperature and value, and that does most of the work of separating the plants and building depth.

key decision

North kept the sky and water pale, cool and soft, and the values close, so the warm red spikes advance through color temperature and textured floret marks rather than dramatic light and dark.

From the record

Dimensions: 50.7 cm high × 35.2 cm wide
Institution: Marianne North Gallery
Location: Marianne North Gallery

Wikidata item Q119130224

recreation guide

Marianne North’s *Flowers of a West Australian Shrub and Kangaroo Feet* (1880) is a quintessential example of 19th-century botanical naturalism, executed in oil. Unlike the Dutch Golden Age tradition of composing bouquets from disparate seasonal studies (Source 3), North’s work is grounded in direct observation, aiming for scientific accuracy while maintaining artistic integrity. The painting likely employs the traditional oil painting method of building layers to achieve depth and texture, adhering to the 'fat over lean' principle to ensure the stability of the paint film (Source 1). The composition balances the organic, irregular lines of the shrubbery with the distinct forms of the kangaroo feet, creating a visual structure that prioritizes botanical truth over decorative abstraction (Source 4).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions (allowing for drying time between glazes)

materials

7 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (artist grade)	Primary medium for color application	—
Linseed oil	Medium to thin paint and increase oil content in upper layers ('fat over lean')	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Mineral spirits or turpentine	Solvent for thinning initial layers ('lean') and cleaning brushes	Odorless mineral spirits
Canvas or panel	Support surface	Linen canvas primed with gesso
Charcoal or thinned paint	Initial sketching of the subject onto the surface	Vine charcoal or diluted raw umber
Paintbrushes and palette knives	Application and scraping of paint layers	—
Rags	Removing wet paint or applying glazes	Lint-free cotton rags

preparation

surface prep

The surface should be prepared to accept oil paint. While specific priming details for this exact canvas are not in the sources, traditional oil painting involves a stable ground. Ensure the surface is clean and dry before beginning the underdrawing.

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint (Source 1). Focus on the 'line-scheme' and arrangement of the floral lines and spaces, ensuring the main lines cut the space effectively to form a beautiful whole rather than just a botanical record (Source 4). Avoid confusing detail in this stage; give the character of the shrub and feet as simply as possible (Source 4).

underpainting

It is likely that a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) was used, a technique common among old masters to establish values before adding color (Source 2). This involves painting the forms in neutral tones, mentally extracting red and yellow colors to focus on structure and light/shadow. This layer must be completely dry before proceeding to glazing (Source 2).

color palette

Greens and Earth Tones

Various greens, ochres, umbers

The shrub foliage and background, establishing the naturalistic base

Reds and Yellows

Transparent reds and yellows

Glazing over the dried underpainting to add vibrancy and specific flower hues, as per the method of tinting an engraving (Source 2)

Whites and Light Tones

White lead or titanium white

Highlights and adjusting the value of the kangaroo feet and flower petals

composition

The composition likely avoids the 'fundamental unreality' of Dutch flower paintings where blooms from different seasons were combined (Source 3). Instead, it reflects North’s practice of painting from direct observation. The arrangement should focus on the relationship between the lines and areas, ensuring that the irregular pattern of the shrub and the distinct form of the feet are related to one another to form a cohesive whole (Source 4).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the outlines of the West Australian shrub and kangaroo feet onto the prepared surface using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Focus on the main lines and spatial arrangement, avoiding excessive detail.
Initial Sketch

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values and forms. Use lean paint (more solvent than oil) for this initial layer.
Tip — Ensure this layer is completely dry before proceeding. This step extracts color to focus on structure.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Begin applying color using glazing and scumbling techniques. Glaze transparent coats of color (especially reds and yellows) over the dry underpainting.
Tip — Use oil as a medium initially. This allows the underlying painting to show through, creating depth.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Build up subsequent layers of paint, ensuring each layer contains more oil than the one below ('fat over lean') to prevent cracking.
Tip — Adjust translucency and sheen using additional media like resins or varnishes if needed.
Fat over Lean

finishing

step 05
Refine details of the flowers and feet. Use palette knives or brushes to adjust texture and form. Oil paint remains wet long enough to make changes.
Tip — If a mistake is made while wet, it can be removed with a rag and turpentine.
Wet-on-Wet Adjustment

varnishing

step 06
Allow the painting to dry completely (up to two weeks) before applying a final varnish if desired.
Tip — Oil paint dries by oxidation, not evaporation. Do not rush this step.
Drying by Oxidation

critical techniques

Fat over Lean

Each additional layer of paint must contain more oil than the layer below to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking. This is a basic rule of oil paint application.

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to build up tone and color, similar to tinting an engraving. This was a method practiced by old masters.

Scumbling

Semi-opaque painting through which the underlying painting makes itself felt. Used to adjust tone and texture, particularly over darker grounds.

common pitfalls

→Applying lean layers over fat layers, which will cause the final painting to crack and peel (Source 1).
→Attempting to achieve illusionistic deception at the expense of the medium's vitality; the artist should remember that oil paint is a material with its own expressive capacity, not just a tool for copying nature (Source 6).
→Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast of colors, which can lead to inaccurate color perception and application (Source 7).
→Focusing too much on botanical correctness rather than the compositional arrangement of lines and spaces (Source 4).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific pigments used by Marianne North for this particular painting are not detailed in the sources.
·The exact dimensions and support material (canvas vs. panel) for this specific work are not provided.
·North's specific brushwork style (e.g., visible brushstrokes vs. smooth blending) is not explicitly described in the provided passages.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
Composition↗
- FLOWER COMPOSITIONS TWO VALUES — applied to Underdrawing focus on line-scheme and spatial arrangement
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Philosophy of using oil paint for expression rather than mere deception
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Understanding color perception and simultaneous contrast

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Underdrawing, fat over lean rule, drying time, and removal of wet paint
Wikipedia: Dutch Golden Age painting↗
- Dutch Golden Age painting — part 19 — applied to Contextualizing the difference between North's observational method and Dutch compositional habits

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

Light falls from the upper left, illuminating three botanical specimens arranged in a shallow space against a soft blue-grey sky and distant ocean. The composition is anchored by a large, densely-packed red flower spike in the center-right (appearing almost columnar), with vibrant coral-red tones that immediately draw the eye. To its left, a smaller similar spike displays the same flower form at a different angle. The far left features a vertical stem of tightly-clustered brown-red tubular flowers that establish cool shadow tones. Behind all forms, cool blue-grey haze and pale blue-grey water recede gently. Green foliage—composed of dozens of individual sword-shaped leaves in varying yellowy and blue-greens—fills the foreground and flanks the flowers, creating a dense botanical study.

value structure

The lightest values are reserved for the sky and distant water (pale blue-grey, approximately equal in brightness). The darkest darks appear in the brown-red tubular flowers on the left and the shadows within dense foliage. Mid-values dominate: various greens at different saturation and temperature. When squinting, the painting resolves into three zones: pale cool background, brilliant red vertical mass (center-right), and green-brown foreground vegetation. The reds sit in the mid-to-high value range but appear bright through warm saturation against cool surroundings.

observed palette and mixes

#bac7d3
Titanium White + touch of Cerulean Blue + tiny touch of raw Sienna
Sky and distant ocean; the pale blue-grey that recedes behind all forms
#586d3e
Cadmium Yellow + French Ultramarine + touch of Alizarin
Muted olive-green in shadowed foliage and background vegetation
#9ea788
Cadmium Yellow + Cerulean Blue + touch of Titanium White
Greyed yellowish-green in sunlit leaves and mid-tone foliage
#897b4b
Burnt Sienna + Cadmium Yellow + touch of Ultramarine
Warm brown in some stems and subtle mid-ground foliage
#583927
Alizarin + Burnt Sienna + touch of Ultramarine
Deep brown-red tubular flowers on the left stem; shadow accents
#d9534a
Alizarin Crimson + Cadmium Red + small touch of Cadmium Yellow
The dominant red flower spikes (center and center-right); warm, vibrant, slightly coral-toned

edges and brushwork

Edges are botanically precise where leaves catch light, with crisp definition along sunlit leaf margins contrasting softer transitions in shadowed areas. The flower heads display careful textural handling—small directional marks suggest individual florets rather than smooth modeling, creating visual interest and botanical authenticity. Foliage edges soften as they recede or enter shadow, guiding spatial depth. The brushwork is refined and controlled, respecting the naturalist tradition: directional strokes follow leaf structure and growth patterns, and blending is selective (smooth in sky and water, more assertive in flower texture).

a working sequence

01
Block the background
Establish a pale blue-grey wash for the entire sky and water area (roughly the upper half and middle distance). Use horizontal strokes for water to hint at the horizon line. Keep values high and cool; this recessive background will make all foreground plants advance.
02
Lay in the plant masses
Block in the three main plant stems with light yellowish-green underpainting: a vertical line for the center-right flower spike, a shorter angled line for the left spike, and a taller vertical for the far-left tubular-flower stem. These lines establish the composition's backbone.
03
Paint the red flower spikes
Paint the two main red-coral flower forms with a warm Alizarin-Cadmium Red mixture. Begin with local color blocks, then immediately texture with small flicking strokes to suggest packed florets. The center-right spike is fuller and brighter; the left spike is smaller and slightly more muted. Avoid smooth modeling—let individual marks show the flower structure.
04
Layer and vary the foliage greens
Begin filling in the foliage around and beneath the flowers with multiple green passes. Start with warmer, yellower greens for sunlit areas, then overlay cooler blue-greens and muted olives in shadow zones. Each passage of green should have distinct hue and value; resist mixing all greens to a single middle tone. Pay attention to the direction individual leaves point—they should radiate or gesture in specific ways, not appear random.
05
Define the left tubular flowers
Paint the brown-red clustered flowers on the far-left stem with a warm brown-red (Alizarin + Burnt Sienna + touch of ultramarine). Build the mass with small circular marks stacked vertically to suggest the tightly-packed tubular form. This stem provides cool-toned contrast to the brighter red spikes.
06
Refine individual leaf forms
Over your green foundation, define individual sword-shaped leaves with careful contour lines and veining. Vary your greens: bright yellowish-green in lit leaves, blue-green in partially shadowed ones, muted olive where foliage is most dense. Each leaf should have clear direction and slightly different tone. Pay particular attention to where leaves frame the flower spikes—these relationships guide the viewer's eye.
07
Deepen shadows and add texture
Darken the greenest shadows using deeper blue-green and olive mixtures. Add subtle texture to the red flower heads with small dots and marks suggesting individual florets—don't leave them smooth. Reinforce stem contours, especially where they overlap foliage. Add fine veining and secondary details to foreground leaves.
08
Final details and atmosphere
Add the palest highlights to sunlit leaf edges and any bright tips. Soften the sky-to-ocean transition with subtle blending. Check that all greens read as distinct and that the red spikes command attention without appearing garish. Refine any leaf or stem edges that need crisping or softening to support spatial recession.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Using one or two greens for all foliage: this painting's botanical character depends on distinct greens at different values and temperatures. Mix at least four or five green variations, each with its own personality (warm + yellow, cool + blue, muted + grey, etc.)
Painting the red flower spikes as smooth, featureless masses: they will look flat and unconvincing. Build them with small individual marks suggesting packed florets; texture is essential to the botanical authenticity.
Neglecting leaf direction and placement: leaves are not afterthoughts. Their angles, overlaps, and orientations guide the composition and the eye. Careless leaf placement flattens the entire study.
Overworking or underworking the sky: the pale blue-grey background must be soft and recessive but not muddy or lifeless. Keep it simple and luminous; unnecessary fussing will muddy the clean atmosphere.
Forcing too much value contrast: this painting relies on subtle, harmonious values rather than dramatic light-dark drama. The reds pop through color warmth, not value shock. Resist the urge to make shadows too dark or highlights too bright.

measured difficulty