plate no. 6685

Happy Children

Philip Evergood, 1946

oilSocial Realismgenre paintingchildrenfiguresdollgroup portraitgrasssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice simplified figure drawing and expressive brushwork. It also encourages experimentation with color mixing to achieve the unique skin tones and background hues.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and placement of the figures and the doll.
step 02
Block in the background with broad strokes of blue and green, varying the hues slightly.
step 03
Establish the main color blocks for each figure's clothing (yellow, blue, red, black).
step 04
Begin to define the skin tones, mixing pinks, oranges, and whites, and apply with visible brushstrokes.
step 05
Add details to the faces, focusing on simplified features and expressive eyes.
step 06
Refine the shapes and forms of the figures, paying attention to the relationships between them.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final details, such as the doll's features and the children's hair.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · cadmium yellow · cadmium red · titanium white

secondary · viridian green · burnt umber · black

Skin tones are achieved by mixing reds, yellows, and white, with small amounts of blue or green to create shadows. The background uses various mixtures of blue, green, and white.

techniques