plate no. 3165
The way he went after that plump sister in the lace tucker!
recreation guide
This artwork, titled 'The way he went after that plump sister in the lace tucker!', is an oil painting by Arthur Rackham, executed in the Art Nouveau (Modern) style. As a prominent illustrator of the early 20th century, Rackham’s work is characterized by intricate line work and atmospheric depth, often achieved through traditional oil painting methods that allow for significant manipulation of texture and form while the paint remains wet (Source 1). The piece likely employs the 'fat over lean' principle, ensuring that each successive layer contains more oil than the previous one to prevent cracking and allow for the rich, layered finish typical of his illustrations (Source 1). The medium allows for the use of solvents and oils to adjust drying times and translucency, facilitating the delicate rendering of details such as the lace tucker mentioned in the title.
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
8 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (artist grade) | Primary medium for color and texture | — |
| Linseed oil | Medium to thin paint and increase oil content for 'fat over lean' layering | — |
| Mineral spirits or turpentine | Solvent for thinning initial layers, cleaning brushes, and removing wet paint if necessary | — |
| Canvas or prepared panel | Support surface for the oil painting | — |
| Charcoal or thinned paint | For initial sketching of the subject onto the surface | — |
| Paintbrushes | Primary tool for transferring paint to the surface | — |
| Palette knives and rags | For scraping off layers, adjusting texture, or applying paint | — |
| Cold wax or resins (optional) | To adjust translucency, sheen, or body of the paint | — |
preparation
surface prep
The surface should be prepared to accept oil paint. While specific preparation for this exact piece is not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting techniques often begin with a primed canvas. The artist may have used a ground that allows for the 'fat over lean' application, ensuring the first layers are leaner (more solvent) and subsequent layers are fatter (more oil) to ensure proper drying and stability (Source 1).
underdrawing
Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 1). Given Rackham's background as an illustrator, a precise underdrawing is likely essential to capture the intricate details of the figures and the lace tucker. The sketch serves as the foundational guide for the subsequent layers of paint.
underpainting
The sources suggest that traditional techniques may involve a monochrome underpainting, such as a grisaille, which is then glazed and scumbled with color (Source 2). This method allows the artist to establish values and forms before applying transparent or semi-opaque color layers. The underpainting should be allowed to dry completely before glazing to ensure the colors remain distinct and the layers do not mix undesirably (Source 2).
color palette
General earth tones and flesh tones
Likely includes ochres, umbers, and whites for skin and clothing
General use in this artist's palette for figures and backgrounds
Reds and Yellows
Transparent red and yellow pigments
Glazing and scumbling to add warmth and depth, particularly in areas like the lace tucker or skin tones, as suggested by the glazing techniques described (Source 2)
Blues and Greens
Ultramarine, viridian, or similar
Backgrounds and clothing, utilizing simultaneous contrast principles to enhance visual impact (Source 3)
composition
While specific compositional details of this painting are not described in the sources, Rackham’s work often features dynamic lines and a strong sense of rhythm. The composition likely directs the viewer’s attention through the use of lines and contrasts, avoiding static corners by using dark masses or curving lines to guide the eye toward the center (Source 6). The interaction between the figures and the background would be designed to harmonize colors and tones, taking into account the law of simultaneous contrast to ensure that adjacent colors enhance each other’s visual appeal (Source 3).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint, focusing on the accurate placement of figures and details like the lace tucker.
Tip — Ensure the sketch is light enough to be covered by subsequent layers but clear enough to guide the painting.
Initial sketching
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values and forms. Use lean paint (more solvent) for this initial layer.
Tip — Allow this layer to dry completely before proceeding to avoid mixing with glazes.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Begin applying color using glazing and scumbling techniques. Glaze with transparent coats of color, particularly reds and yellows, to build up depth and warmth.
Tip — Use 'fat over lean' principle: ensure each layer has more oil than the previous one to prevent cracking.
Glazing
refining
step 04
Refine details and adjust colors using scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to modify tones and textures. Pay attention to simultaneous contrast between adjacent colors.
Tip — Be mindful of how colors interact; adjust tones to harmonize the composition.
Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Finalize the painting by adding any remaining details and ensuring all layers are properly dried. Use palette knives or rags to adjust texture if needed.
Tip — Oil paint remains wet longer than other media, allowing for changes to color, texture, or form.
Texture adjustment
varnishing
step 06
Apply a varnish to protect the painting and enhance the sheen, if desired. This can also help unify the surface.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing to avoid trapping solvents.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Fat over Lean
Each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to allow proper drying and prevent cracking. This is a basic rule of oil paint application.
Glazing
Applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting to build up depth and richness, particularly with red and yellow tones.
Scumbling
Using semi-opaque paint to modify tones and textures, allowing the underlying painting to show through and create complex visual effects.
Simultaneous Contrast
Considering how adjacent colors affect each other’s appearance, ensuring that the composition harmonizes and enhances visual impact.
common pitfalls
- →Applying lean layers over fat layers, which can lead to cracking and peeling of the paint film (Source 1).
- →Failing to allow underpainting or glazes to dry completely before applying subsequent layers, resulting in muddy colors or mixed layers (Source 2).
- →Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to a composition where colors clash rather than harmonize (Source 3).
- →Overworking the paint while it is still wet, which can destroy the delicate textures and forms achieved through glazing and scumbling (Source 1).
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.
- ·Specific pigments used by Arthur Rackham for this particular painting are not detailed in the sources.
- ·The exact dimensions and aspect ratio of the canvas are not provided.
- ·Detailed information on the specific preparatory sketches or studies for this artwork is not available.
- ·The precise varnishing technique or type of varnish used by Rackham is not specified.
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 Glazing and scumbling techniques, use of grisaille underpainting
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Simultaneous contrast and color harmony in composition
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- ILLUSTRATING SOME OF THE LINES... — applied to Compositional principles and line direction
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to General oil painting techniques, fat over lean principle, use of solvents and mediums
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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