plate no. 6974
Lady Godiva
Adam van Noort, 1586
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure drawing, animal anatomy, and creating atmospheric perspective with muted colors. It also provides practice in rendering drapery and architectural details.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the proportions of the horse and figure.
- step 02
Establish the background buildings with a loose, blocky approach.
- step 03
Lay in the base colors for the sky and ground, blending them softly.
- step 04
Begin to define the form of the horse, paying attention to muscle structure.
- step 05
Add the figure, focusing on accurate anatomy and skin tones.
- step 06
Develop the drapery and details of the horse's tack.
- step 07
Refine the background buildings, adding details and shadows.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to the horse, figure, and background.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red
secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, and a touch of yellow ochre. Create muted background colors by mixing complementary colors with white.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·blending
- ·figure drawing
common pitfalls
- →inaccurate proportions of the horse or figure
- →overly bright or saturated colors
- →lack of atmospheric perspective
- →poor blending of skin tones
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to speed up the painting process.
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