plate no. 9171

The Little Girl with a Ball

Frantisek Kupka, 1908

oil, canvasExpressionismnude painting (nu)figurechildballflowersgrassnude

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students understand color temperature and how to use broken color to create form and texture. It also provides practice in capturing the human figure with expressive brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic figure proportions and placement on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the large shapes of the background with thin washes of color.
step 03
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the figure using a limited palette.
step 04
Begin adding layers of broken color to define the form and create a sense of light.
step 05
Develop the details of the face and hair, paying attention to color variations.
step 06
Add the details of the ball and the surrounding flowers and grass.
step 07
Refine the edges and adjust the overall color balance.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth.

color palette

primary · titanium white · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

secondary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · purple

Mix various shades of skin tones using white, yellow, and crimson, adding small amounts of blue or green for shadows. Create the greens for the grass by mixing yellow and blue, and the purples for shadows and accents by mixing crimson and blue.

techniques

·broken color
·color temperature
·expressive brushstrokes
·scumbling
·layering

common pitfalls

→over-blending the colors
→getting the proportions wrong
→using too much detail
→not capturing the light correctly

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (titanium white, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, viridian green)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags