plate no. 3557
King Hobgoblin Sleeping
Hugo Simberg, 1896
some experience helpful
This painting offers practice in rendering figures in a stylized manner and creating a sense of depth through color and scale. Students can also learn to create texture with dry brushing and layering.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the figure, the marching figures, and the landscape elements.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: red for the background figures, green for the ground, and white for the figure's clothing.
- step 03
Add details to the figure, including the face, hair, and clothing folds.
- step 04
Paint the marching figures in the background, focusing on their simplified forms and consistent spacing.
- step 05
Add texture to the ground using dry brushing and layering of greens and browns.
- step 06
Paint the bug and other small details.
- step 07
Refine the edges and add highlights and shadows to create depth.
- step 08
Add final details and touch-ups.
color palette
primary · red · green · white · brown
secondary · yellow · black · orange
Mix various shades of green by combining yellow and blue with brown. Achieve the red by mixing a deep crimson with a touch of orange. Use white sparingly to create highlights and subtle variations in tone.
techniques
- ·dry brushing
- ·layering
- ·simplified figure drawing
- ·color blocking
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details in the background figures.
- →Creating too much contrast in the figure, losing the subtle shading.
- →Making the ground too uniform in color.
- →Not capturing the stylized nature of the figures.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic paints (red, green, white, brown, yellow, black)
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·paper towels
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·retarder medium
- ·easel
Using a textured canvas can enhance the dry brush effect. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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