plate no. 2194

Flowers of a West Australian Shrub and Kangaroo Feet

oilNaturalismflower paintingflowersplantsfoliagelandscapeoceansky

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.

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