plate no. 0856
Potara Mausoleum at Shotoku
Unichi Hiratsuka, 1948
suitable for beginners
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color blocking and creating simplified representations of complex forms. It also encourages careful observation of line and shape.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
1
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the building, tree, and mountains.
- step 02
Outline the main elements with a thin black line.
- step 03
Block in the sky with a light turquoise color.
- step 04
Fill in the mountains with a reddish-purple hue.
- step 05
Apply a light yellow to the foreground and the main structure of the building.
- step 06
Add details to the building, such as the roof tiles and window frames, using darker shades of yellow and brown.
- step 07
Paint the tree trunk with a light pink and the leaves with green.
- step 08
Add final details like the stone path and small vegetation.
color palette
primary · turquoise · yellow · reddish-purple
secondary · light pink · green · brown
Mix the reddish-purple by combining red and purple with a touch of white. Create the turquoise by mixing blue and green with white.
techniques
- ·color blocking
- ·outlining
- ·flat washes
- ·simplified forms
- ·linear perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overcomplicating the details.
- →Using too many colors.
- →Not simplifying the forms enough.
- →Inaccurate proportions in the initial sketch.
materials
surface · Stretched canvas
required
- ·Acrylic paints
- ·Canvas or paper
- ·Round brush
- ·Flat brush
- ·Palette
- ·Water
- ·Pencil
- ·Eraser
optional
- ·Ruler
- ·Tracing paper
- ·Palette knife
Use matte acrylics to mimic the flat, print-like quality of the original.
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