plate no. 7800
The Ghost
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and atmosphere, as well as practicing detailed brushwork for the figure's features and clothing.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the figure, landscape elements, and text boxes.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: the sky, figure's skin and clothing, and the ground.
- step 03
Add details to the figure's face, hair, and clothing, paying attention to the shading and highlights.
- step 04
Paint the landscape elements, including the tree, mountain, and grass, using thin layers of color.
- step 05
Add the blood details with a fine brush.
- step 06
Carefully paint the patterned sticks, paying attention to the color sequence.
- step 07
Add the text boxes with the calligraphy.
- step 08
Refine the details and add any final touches.
color palette
primary · light blue · gray · black · white
secondary · red · yellow · orange · brown
Mix light blue by adding white to a darker blue. Create various shades of gray by mixing black and white in different ratios. Achieve the skin tone by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·blending
- ·fine detail brushwork
- ·color mixing
- ·glazing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the colors and losing the subtle variations.
- →Not paying enough attention to the proportions of the figure.
- →Making the blood look too uniform and unrealistic.
- →Ignoring the atmospheric perspective in the landscape.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic paints (light blue, gray, black, white, red, yellow, orange, brown)
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·paper towels
- ·pencil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·ruler
- ·tracing paper
Use high-quality acrylic paints for best results. Choose brushes that are appropriate for the level of detail you want to achieve.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
related artworks
14. Temple Gardens in Nippori
Hiroshige
8. Suruga Chō
Hiroshige
Travels Looking at Mt. Fuji
Kitagawa Utamaro
The Letter
Utagawa Kunisada
Jeu Princier. Mongol
Paul Jacoulet
Looking as if she is enjoying herself - a teacher of the Keisei era
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Ariwara no Yukihira
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Enjoying the Cool Evening Breeze on and under the Bridge
Kitagawa Utamaro