plate no. 8124

The Garden Parasol

Frederick Carl Frieseke, 1910

oil, canvasImpressionismgenre paintingfiguresgardenparasoltea setchairsfoliage

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing, broken color techniques, and capturing the effects of light and shadow in a garden setting. It also provides practice in rendering figures in a loose, impressionistic style.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures, table, and parasol.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with a thin wash of color.
step 03
Begin applying broken color strokes to build up the forms and textures, starting with the background foliage.
step 04
Mix and apply colors for the parasol, paying attention to the variations in hue and value.
step 05
Work on the figures, using short, broken strokes to suggest form and detail.
step 06
Add details to the tea set and chairs, using a smaller brush.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting colors and values as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · titanium white · cadmium orange

secondary · alizarin crimson · viridian green · violet

Achieve the luminous quality by layering and mixing colors directly on the canvas. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights. Mix greens from blues and yellows, and use complementary colors to create shadows.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·optical mixing
·scumbling
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overblending the colors, which can result in a muddy appearance.
→Neglecting the importance of light and shadow in creating form.
→Getting bogged down in details too early in the process.
→Using too much paint, which can make the painting look heavy and overworked.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, titanium white, cadmium orange, alizarin crimson, viridian green)
·assorted brushes (round and flat, sizes 2-8)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·rags