plate no. 1355
In the garden
Silvestro Lega, 1883
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing light and shadow in a natural setting and practice painting figures in a loose, impressionistic style. The painting also offers a good opportunity to practice rendering textures like foliage and fabric.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and composition: the figure, the dog, the path, and the background foliage.
- step 02
Block in the main color areas using thin washes of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
- step 03
Start building up the details of the figure, paying attention to the folds and shadows in the dress.
- step 04
Develop the background foliage with loose, broken brushstrokes, varying the greens and browns.
- step 05
Add details to the dog, capturing its form and texture with short, quick strokes.
- step 06
Refine the path and the ground, adding subtle variations in color and texture.
- step 07
Pay attention to the light source and adjust the values and colors accordingly.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to bring the painting to life.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · viridian green · raw umber · titanium white
secondary · burnt sienna · yellow ochre · ivory black
Mix various shades of green by combining viridian green with yellow ochre and raw umber. Use cerulean blue and white to create the light blue of the dress, adding touches of raw umber for shadows. Mix burnt sienna and raw umber for earth tones.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·alla prima
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·implied detail
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly quality.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
- →Making the figure too stiff and unnatural.
- →Ignoring the atmospheric perspective and making the background too sharp.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·cerulean blue oil paint
- ·viridian green oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·round brushes sizes #2, #4, #6
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use a medium-tooth canvas to allow for good paint adhesion and texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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