plate no. 2676

A boy seated on a bench with a pitcher

watercolor, paperNaturalismportraitfigureboypitcherbenchportraitclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding subtle color variations in shadows and highlights.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the boy, the pitcher, and the bench.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, muted wash, leaving the figure area lighter.
step 03
Block in the basic colors of the boy's clothing and skin, focusing on the overall tones.
step 04
Begin layering the colors on the face, building up the shadows and highlights gradually.
step 05
Paint the pitcher, paying attention to the highlights and reflections to create a sense of volume.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, such as the collar and buttons, using small brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the background and add any final details to the bench and surrounding area.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create depth.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light · cerulean blue

Mix burnt umber and ivory black for the dark background. Use raw sienna and titanium white for the skin tones, adding small amounts of cadmium red light for the cheeks. Mix burnt umber with yellow ochre and a touch of red for the pitcher.

techniques