plate no. 7677

In the Flower Garden

Robert Lewis Reid, 1900

oilImpressionismgenre paintingfiguregardenflowerstreesdresshat

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impressionistic brushwork and color mixing to capture light and atmosphere. It also provides practice in depicting figures within a landscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 7 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and the overall structure of the garden.
step 02
Establish the background sky and distant foliage with thin washes of color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color in the garden, using broad strokes to define the masses of flowers and leaves.
step 04
Begin to add details to the flowers, using small, broken brushstrokes to create texture and visual interest.
step 05
Paint the figure, paying attention to the way light falls on the dress and hat.
step 06
Refine the details of the figure and the surrounding flowers, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 07
Add final touches and adjust colors as needed to achieve a harmonious overall effect.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · alizarin crimson · sap green · cadmium yellow

Achieve the various shades of blue and green by mixing ultramarine blue with white, yellow ochre, and sap green. Create the floral hues by mixing alizarin crimson with white and touches of yellow.

techniques