plate no. 6552
Summer Geisha
Torii Kotondo, 1934
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle skin tones and practice precise line work for defining shapes and patterns.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: head, hair, kimono, and fan.
- step 02
Block in the background with a flat layer of blue.
- step 03
Establish the skin tone with a base layer of light peach.
- step 04
Paint the hair with solid black, paying attention to the shape and volume.
- step 05
Begin adding details to the kimono, including the pattern and folds.
- step 06
Paint the fan with light yellow and add the linear details.
- step 07
Refine the facial features, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to the hair ornaments and kimono.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · ivory black · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · pink · light green · gray
Mix white with a touch of yellow ochre and a hint of red for the skin tone. Vary the blue by adding small amounts of white for a subtle gradient in the background.
techniques
- ·flat washes
- ·color mixing
- ·fine linework
- ·layering
- ·glazing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones and losing the subtle variations.
- →Making the lines too thick and losing the delicate feel.
- →Not paying attention to the proportions of the face.
- →Using too much paint and obscuring the details.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 0, 2, 4)
- ·flat brush (size 6)
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·soft cloth
- ·pencil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·retarder medium
- ·varnish
Use high-quality acrylic paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will make it easier to achieve the desired level of detail.
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