plate no. 5349
Girl
Unichi Hiratsuka, 1930
suitable for beginners
Recreating this painting will help students understand color blocking and line work to define shapes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
1
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the girl, chair, and background.
- step 02
Outline the major forms with a thin brush or pen.
- step 03
Block in the background color (light yellow).
- step 04
Fill in the skin tone, hair, and sweater with their respective colors.
- step 05
Add details like the ruffles on the sweater and the patterns on the chair.
- step 06
Outline the shapes with black to define the forms.
- step 07
Add subtle shading to create depth.
- step 08
Refine the details and make any necessary adjustments.
color palette
primary · light yellow · light green · black · tan
secondary · dark green · brown · skin tone
The light green can be achieved by mixing yellow and a touch of blue. The skin tone can be created by mixing white, yellow, and a tiny bit of red.
techniques
- ·color blocking
- ·outlining
- ·flat washes
- ·simplified shading
common pitfalls
- →Overcomplicating the details.
- →Using too many colors.
- →Not defining the shapes clearly with outlines.
- →Inconsistent line thickness.
materials
surface · Smooth paper or canvas
required
- ·Canvas or paper
- ·Acrylic or gouache paints
- ·Round brush (small)
- ·Flat brush (medium)
- ·Pencil
- ·Eraser
- ·Palette
- ·Water
optional
- ·Palette knife
- ·Ruler
- ·Tracing paper
Using a limited palette will help to maintain the simplicity of the original artwork.
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