plate no. 9323
Girl in Blue Kimono
Robert Lewis Reid, 1911
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as capturing the subtle reflections and refractions in glass. It's also a good exercise in painting fabric and rendering a figure in a soft, impressionistic style.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure, table, and goldfish bowl.
- step 02
Establish the background colors using broad, loose strokes.
- step 03
Block in the main colors of the kimono, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
- step 04
Paint the goldfish bowl, focusing on capturing the reflections and refractions of light.
- step 05
Add details to the figure's face and hair.
- step 06
Refine the details of the flowers and table.
- step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Review and adjust the colors and values as needed.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · raw umber · titanium white
secondary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre · sap green
Achieve the blues in the kimono by mixing cerulean blue with white and touches of raw umber. Create the skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use raw umber and white for the table, adding touches of blue and green to reflect the surrounding colors.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·glazing
- ·color layering
- ·rendering transparent objects
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
- →Failing to capture the subtle color variations in the kimono.
- →Struggling to create the illusion of transparency in the goldfish bowl.
- →Ignoring the importance of reflected light.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·mineral spirits or turpentine (for cleaning brushes)
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·retarder medium
- ·easel
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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