plate no. 2527
Girl with Doll
Georges Lemmen, 1904
some experience helpful
Recreating this lithograph will help students develop skills in hatching, cross-hatching, and creating tonal variations with a limited palette. It also provides practice in capturing the likeness of a figure and rendering textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the girl, doll, and chair.
- step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow using light pencil strokes.
- step 03
Begin building up darker values with hatching and cross-hatching, focusing on the darkest areas first.
- step 04
Gradually add more layers of hatching to create mid-tones and subtle gradations.
- step 05
Pay attention to the direction of the hatching lines to convey form and texture.
- step 06
Refine the details of the face, hair, and clothing.
- step 07
Add the background details, maintaining a lighter value than the foreground.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and details to achieve a cohesive and balanced composition.
color palette
primary · sepia · raw umber
secondary · ivory black · titanium white
Vary the intensity of the sepia tone by diluting it with water or mixing it with small amounts of white or black to create highlights and shadows.
techniques
- ·hatching
- ·cross-hatching
- ·dry brush
- ·scumbling
- ·tonal gradation
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the drawing and losing the spontaneity of the original.
- →Creating overly uniform hatching patterns.
- →Failing to establish a clear value structure.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in tone and texture.
materials
surface · watercolor paper (140lb)
required
- ·sepia ink or watercolor
- ·watercolor paper (140lb)
- ·fine-tipped brush (size 0-2)
- ·medium-sized round brush (size 4-6)
- ·pencil (HB)
- ·eraser
- ·water container
- ·palette or mixing tray
optional
- ·ruler
- ·kneaded eraser
- ·magnifying glass
Experiment with different types of paper and brushes to find the materials that work best for you. Consider using a slightly textured paper to enhance the effect of the hatching.
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