plate no. 0798
Girl in front of the Lion Cage
Max Slevogt, 1901
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice loose brushwork and capturing light and shadow with simplified forms. It's also a good exercise in depicting depth and atmosphere using color and value.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the figure, the fence, the trees, and the ground plane.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color using thin washes.
- step 03
Start with the background, establishing the values of the trees and sky.
- step 04
Move to the midground, painting the fence and the area behind the figure.
- step 05
Add the figure, focusing on the shapes of the skirt and hat.
- step 06
Refine the details with thicker paint and visible brushstrokes.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the composition and color balance.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ivory black · cadmium red light · yellow ochre
secondary · viridian green · ultramarine blue
Mix various shades of gray by combining white and black, and add small amounts of yellow ochre or red to warm the grays. Achieve the green tones by mixing blue and yellow, and adjust with white or black to create different values.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·color temperature
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Getting bogged down in details too early.
- →Failing to establish a clear value structure.
- →Not paying attention to color temperature and atmospheric perspective.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·painting medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·easel
- ·rags
Use a medium-grain canvas for a slightly textured surface. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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