plate no. 7740
Set it first to thy lips
recreation guide
This recreation guide focuses on the technical execution of an oil painting in the style of Arthur Rackham, specifically adhering to the Art Nouveau illustration tradition. While the specific visual content of 'Set it first to thy lips' is not detailed in the provided sources, the guide reconstructs the likely material process based on Rackham’s era and the specific oil painting techniques described in the sources. The approach emphasizes the layering of transparent glazes over a monochrome underpainting, a method historically associated with old masters and referenced in the sources as a way to achieve rich, dense color and flexibility (Source 3). The process avoids the 'soapy' surface often resulting from excessive oil use in direct painting, instead favoring the dry, absorbent qualities of turpentine-thinned initial layers to ensure subsequent glazes adhere properly (Source 2).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions (allowing for drying times between glaze layers)
materials
5 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Linseed oil | Primary binder for oil paints; provides flexibility and rich color density. | Refined linseed oil |
| Spirits of turpentine | Thinner for initial layers to ensure fast drying and prevent a 'soapy' surface; allows subsequent layers to adhere without sinking unduly. | Gum turpentine or odorless mineral spirits |
| Oil of copavia | Historical medium mentioned by Sir Joshua Reynolds for first and second paintings; acts as a drying agent and binder. | Dammar varnish or stand oil (as a substitute for historical resins) |
| Palette of pigments | Includes two whites, yellow ochre, light red, vermilion, rose madder, cobalt, emerald, oxide of chromium, raw and burnt umber, and ivory black. | Standard oil paint set including Titanium White, Zinc White, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Light, Quinacridone Rose, Cobalt Blue, Chromium Oxide Green, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Mars Black |
| Varnish | Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent coats. | Artist's resin varnish (e.g., Dammar) |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a rigid support such as a wood panel or primed canvas, consistent with the common use of these surfaces for oil painting in the Renaissance and subsequent centuries (Source 3). The surface should be smooth to allow for the fine detail characteristic of Rackham’s illustration style, though the sources do not specify the exact ground texture for this specific work. A neutral or toned ground is implied by the instruction to substitute 'toned colour for uncoloured tone' in direct painting comparisons (Source 2).
underdrawing
The sources do not explicitly describe Rackham’s underdrawing method for this specific piece. However, given the emphasis on 'glazing and scumbling' over a 'grisaille' (monochrome) preparation (Source 1), it is likely that a detailed underdrawing was executed in charcoal or thinned oil to establish the composition before the monochrome layer. The composition should consider the 'arresting power of the right angle' and the use of lines to direct attention to the center, avoiding drawing the eye to the corners (Source 7).
underpainting
Execute a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white, potentially with oil of copavia as a medium, following the method established by Sir Joshua Reynolds (Source 1). This layer establishes the values and forms without color. The goal is to mentally extract red and yellow colors, translating what would be left in nature if these colors were not present (Source 1). Ensure this layer is completely dry before proceeding.
color palette
White
Two whites (likely Lead White and Zinc/Titanium White)
Highlights and mixing with other pigments for glazes.
Yellow Ochre
Pure pigment
General use in the palette; likely for earth tones and flesh undertones.
Vermilion / Light Red
Pure pigment
Glazing red tones over the grisaille, particularly for flesh or drapery.
Rose Madder
Pure pigment
Transparent red glazes for flesh tones, allowing the underlying grisaille to show through.
Cobalt / Emerald / Oxide of Chromium
Pure pigments
Green and blue tones for foliage or background elements, applied via glazing.
Raw and Burnt Umber
Pure pigments
Earth tones and shadows; burnt umber may be used for warmer shadows.
Ivory Black
Pure pigment
Deep shadows and defining lines in the grisaille stage.
composition
While specific visual details of 'Set it first to thy lips' are not provided, Rackham’s work typically employs strong linear elements. The composition should utilize lines to direct the spectator’s attention to the central subject, avoiding the corners of the rectangular format which naturally attract the eye due to the right angles (Source 7). The arrangement of abstract lines should underlie the expression, creating rhythmic force (Source 7). If the subject involves figures, consider the contrast of curved lines against angular forms, as seen in G.F. Watts’ 'Love and Death' (Source 7).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the composition on the prepared surface, ensuring lines direct the eye to the center and avoid the corners.
Tip — Use the 'arresting power of the right angle' to your advantage by filling corners with dark masses or sweeping lines (Source 7).
Compositional line work
underpainting
step 02
Apply a grisaille layer using black, ultramarine, and white. Use oil of copavia or a similar medium. Focus on values, mentally excluding red and yellow hues.
Tip — Ensure the layer is completely dry before proceeding to glazing (Source 1).
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Begin glazing with transparent coats of color, starting with oil alone. Apply yellow and red tones as they occur in the design, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color that allows the underlying grisaille to influence the final hue (Source 1).
Glazing
refining
step 04
Introduce scumbling, a semi-opaque painting technique, to add texture and coldness where needed, particularly over darker grounds.
Tip — Scumbling allows the underlying painting to make itself felt, creating a 'grey bloom' effect (Source 1).
Scumbling
step 05
For flesh tones, if painting directly, use turpentine alone for the first painting to avoid a 'soapy' surface. Turpentine dries 'dead' and leaves the paint slightly absorbent.
Tip — Subsequent paintings with oil or varnish are less apt to sink unduly if the first layer is turpentine-based (Source 2).
Direct painting (a prima)
finishing
step 06
As mastery is gained, mix varnish with oil for final glazes to enhance depth and richness.
Tip — This method was practiced by old masters to achieve rich, dense color (Source 1, Source 3).
Varnish glazing
critical techniques
Glazing
Applying transparent coats of color over a dry monochrome underpainting to build up rich, luminous hues. This technique allows the underlying values to show through, creating depth.
Scumbling
Applying semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create a 'grey bloom' or coldness, allowing the underlying layer to influence the final appearance.
Turpentine-based initial layers
Using turpentine alone for the first painting to ensure the surface dries 'dead' and remains slightly absorbent, preventing subsequent layers from sinking or becoming 'soapy'.
common pitfalls
- →Using too much oil in the initial layers, which can darken the color and render the surface 'soapy' after a few paintings (Source 2).
- →Applying glazes before the grisaille is completely dry, which can muddy the colors and ruin the transparency (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the compositional pull of the corners in a rectangular format, which can distract the viewer from the central subject (Source 7).
- →Failing to account for simultaneous contrast, where adjacent colors modify each other’s appearance, leading to inaccurate color perception (Source 6).
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.
- ·The specific subject matter and visual details of 'Set it first to thy lips' are not described in the sources, so the guide relies on general Rackham style and oil painting techniques.
- ·The exact proportions of oil to turpentine or varnish are not specified, requiring the artist to experiment based on the 'mastery' mentioned in Source 1.
- ·The specific pigments used by Rackham for this particular work are not listed, so the palette is inferred from general period practices and Source 2.
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 (grisaille), glazing, and scumbling techniques.
- CHAPTER XV PAINTING IN COLOUR DIRECT FROM LIFE — applied to Palette selection and the use of turpentine for initial layers.
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- ILLUSTRATING SOME OF THE LINES ON WHICH THE RHYTHMIC POWER OF THIS PICTURE DEPENDS — applied to Compositional principles regarding lines and corner avoidance.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Simultaneous contrast — applied to Understanding how adjacent colors affect perception.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 1 — applied to General advantages of oil painting and material properties.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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