plate no. 2490

Kachoga. Falcon on a pine branch, rising sun above

oilUkiyo-eanimal paintingbirdfalconpine treesunnaturebranch

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors, creating textures with line work, and understanding the principles of Japanese composition. It also provides practice in rendering realistic animal anatomy and botanical details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the falcon, pine branches, and sun.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin wash of ochre or tan.
step 03
Begin layering the dark greens of the pine needles, paying attention to the direction of the needles.
step 04
Add the details of the tree branches using dark brown and black.
step 05
Paint the falcon's body, starting with the base color of yellow and adding layers of gray and black for the feathers.
step 06
Define the falcon's features, such as the eyes, beak, and talons, with careful attention to detail.
step 07
Paint the rising sun with a soft gradient of red and orange.
step 08
Add final details and refine the linework throughout the painting.

color palette

primary · ochre · dark green · black · yellow

secondary · red · orange · brown · gray

Achieve the various shades of green by mixing dark green with black or yellow. Create the feather details by layering gray and black over the yellow base.

techniques