plate no. 0098
Quaker Girl
Grace Cossington Smith, 1915
some experience helpful
This painting offers practice in capturing light and shadow on fabric and skin tones using visible brushstrokes. Students will learn to simplify complex forms into basic shapes and use color temperature to create depth.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition, focusing on proportions and placement.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the background and then the figure and table.
- step 03
Establish the main light and shadow patterns on the figure, table cloth, and cat.
- step 04
Begin refining the details of the face, clothing, and tea set.
- step 05
Add texture and visual interest with visible brushstrokes, following the form of the objects.
- step 06
Mix subtle color variations to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Pay attention to the edges of objects, softening some and sharpening others.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall effect.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · cadmium red light
secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black
Mix white with small amounts of red and blue for the skin tones and fabric. Use ultramarine and burnt umber for the dark background, adjusting the ratio for subtle variations. Mix white with yellow ochre for the tea set.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
- ·blocking in
- ·impasto
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early
- →Creating muddy colors by over-mixing
- →Ignoring the underlying structure of the forms
- →Not paying attention to the light source
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·oil paints
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·rags
Use a medium-tooth canvas for better texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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