A little girl on a swing is one of the most joyful images of childhood I can think of - a perfect subject for a loose expressive watercolour painting.
As attractive a painting subject as this is I do realise just how intimidating it can be to contemplate incorporating a figure into your painting.
Let me convince you that is more approachable than you might think.
(And keep reading to find out how you can paint a girl on a swing with me doing most of the hard parts for you…😉)
Incorporating a figure in a painting adds so much life and interest. People matter most to us, perhaps. Seeing a person in a painting instantly adds a relatable story element.
And usually a particularly touching one when that figure is a child.
Yes, I know - we don’t need much convincing about how wonderful adding people to a painting can be. The issue is not so much that we don’t want to but that we think we can’t.
It is true that drawing or painting the human figure does require a bit of accuracy when it comes to things like proportion. And unlike painting something like say, a tree… adding or omitting an extra limb is not easily overlooked by the viewer!
All of these things make us less likely to attempt incorporating a figure. This is a shame because really the best way to get better at painting people is to paint more people.
Let me make it easier for you.
There are a few things that we can do to be gentle with ourselves when it comes to painting the figure.
How about 3 tips?
1 Choose an image that is a little less intimidating.
If painting figures is new for you then I would suggest avoiding a full on frontal portrait with nothing much else in the painting. You know, like a museum style portrait, head to toe against a plain dark background. That sort of thing demands a very polished, proficient rendering of the figure.
Rather choose something like this little girl on a swing. There is a whole story there - it is not just about delivering a perfect likeness of this little girl. It is about a moment in time, a child on a swing in a gloriously green park or playground.
We are also painting her from behind, and since she is seated not all of her is visible. We need to place in her head, a blocky shape for her torso and then her dear little boots peaking out beneath the swing seat.
In my view all these things make painting the figure of a girl on a swing much more manageable.
2 Adopt a loose expressive watercolour style.
My intention is never to produce a painting that looks like a photograph.
No, indeed. I want my painting to look like a painting. That means it is more about emotion and feeling than it is about meticulous details.
The choice of this little girl on a swing as a painting subject helps us out since we see her from behind. That means we are not tempted to try and put every facial feature in the right place or attempt to paint finicky details like her eyelashes.
Funnily enough, I find this often leads to a more meaningful and touching painting. The viewer wont be distracted by the technical delivery of those elements of the figure and is free to enjoy the gesture of her little body swinging as high as she possibly can, with the wind in her hair.
3.Paint along with me in real time.
The best way to get better at painting people is to paint people. That is a lot easier if you have someone else help you with all the preliminary painting stages.
I’ve chosen the reference image for you, and I’ll talk you through the easiest way to approach that reference.
I’ve even done the drawing for you.
Then we can paint together step by step in real time with you watching over my shoulder.
It’ll be fun, I promise.
And if you really think that painting a figure is a little too much to take on, I have an article with all my figure drawing tips for the truly terrified.
They will persuade you to tinker with doodling little people in your sketchbook, letting whimsy be your guide. Click here to read all about it…
Are you on your own painting journey?
One of these might be useful…
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