plate no. 8585

Santa Claus

Arthur Rackham, 1907

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)illustrationfiguresnowtreeswinterfantasyelves

recreation guide

Arthur Rackham’s 1907 oil painting 'Santa Claus' is a distinctive example of his transition from watercolor illustration to oil, retaining the linear precision and atmospheric depth characteristic of his Art Nouveau style. The work likely employs a methodical approach to color, utilizing a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish form and value before applying transparent glazes and semi-opaque scumbles. This technique allows for the rich, luminous quality seen in Rackham’s mature work, where light appears to emanate from within the paint layers rather than sitting on the surface. The composition relies on strong rhythmic lines and chiaroscuro to guide the viewer’s eye, consistent with Rackham’s background in drawing and illustration.

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions (allowing for drying times between glaze layers)

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Vermilion)	Primary palette for grisaille and glazing	—
Oil of Copavia or Linseed Oil	Medium for the first and second paintings as per Reynolds' method cited in sources	Stand oil or walnut oil for slower drying
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and flow	Dammar varnish or modern painting medium
Canvas or Panel	Support for the oil painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso
Charcoal or Graphite	Underdrawing	—

preparation

surface prep

The surface should be prepared with a neutral ground, likely white or light gray, to facilitate the glazing process. While specific preparation for this exact painting is not detailed in the sources, the general practice of the period and the cited method of glazing over a dry grisaille implies a smooth, non-absorbent ground that allows for clear layering (Source 1).

underdrawing

Rackham was a trained illustrator and draftsman, so the underdrawing would be precise and linear, establishing the 'outline basis' that holds the picture together (Source 6). The drawing would focus on the rhythmic lines of the figure and the surrounding environment, ensuring the composition’s structural integrity before paint is applied.

underpainting

The underpainting should be a grisaille (monochrome) using black, ultramarine, and white, as described in Sir Joshua Reynolds’ method which is cited as a foundational practice for this type of oil painting (Source 1). This layer establishes the values and forms without color, allowing the artist to 'mentally extract' red and yellow tones to be added later via glazing (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure pigment

Grisaille underpainting and cool shadows

White

Lead white or Titanium white

Grisaille highlights and mixing tints

Black

Ivory black or Lamp black

Grisaille shadows and deepening tones

Yellow Ochre/Vermilion

Transparent glazes

Adding warmth and local color through glazing and scumbling

Red Ochre

Transparent glazes

Adding warmth and local color through glazing and scumbling

composition

The composition likely utilizes the 'arresting power of the right angle' and curved lines to direct attention, a principle Rackham would have studied in the context of rhythmic power in composition (Source 7). The arrangement of lines is designed to swing the eye past the corners toward the center, avoiding static attention on the boundaries of the rectangular format (Source 7).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Create a precise linear drawing on the prepared surface, focusing on the rhythmic flow of lines and the structural outline of the figure and setting.
Tip — Ensure the lines guide the eye toward the center of the composition, avoiding static corners.
Linear construction

underpainting

step 02
Paint a grisaille using only black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Establish all values and forms completely.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, visualizing what remains in nature if those colors were absent.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Begin glazing with transparent coats of yellow and red tones using oil as a medium.
Tip — Apply thin, transparent layers to build up color intensity without obscuring the underlying form.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms, and over lighter areas to soften transitions.
Tip — Observe how the underlying painting makes itself felt through the semi-opaque layer.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Continue layering glazes and scumbles, mixing varnish with oil for greater transparency and flow as mastery of the technique is gained.
Tip — Be aware of simultaneous contrast; adjacent colors will influence each other’s appearance.
Varnish glazing

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to unify the layers and protect the painting.
Tip — Ensure all layers are fully dry to prevent cracking.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry monochrome underpainting to build luminosity and depth, as practiced by old masters and described in Reynolds' method.

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint to allow the underlying layer to show through, creating subtle tonal variations and coldness over dark grounds.

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that adjacent colors influence each other, requiring the artist to adjust hues to achieve the desired visual effect.

common pitfalls

→Adding black to darken colors can cause hue shifts toward green or blue, especially in reds and yellows; use complementary colors to neutralize instead (Source 4).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied to the outline can result in a stiff appearance; balance linear precision with the softening effects of glazing (Source 5).
→Ignoring simultaneous contrast can lead to inaccurate color perception; adjacent colors will appear different than when viewed in isolation (Source 3).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific details of Santa Claus's clothing patterns, facial expression, and exact pose are not described in the sources and must be inferred from the original artwork or general knowledge of Rackham's style.
·The exact proportions and layout of the composition are not detailed in the sources, requiring reference to the original image.
·Specific pigment choices beyond the general categories (e.g., specific brands or historical pigments used by Rackham) are not provided.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Simultaneous Contrast — applied to Color harmony and perception adjustments
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- Rhythmic Power — applied to Compositional line and eye direction