plate no. 5544

A Cup of Tea

Philip Evergood, 1946

oilSocial Realismgenre paintingfigureinteriorstill lifeplantdogcurtains

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting complex interior spaces, rendering textures of fabrics and plants, and capturing the likeness of a figure in a stylized manner. It also provides practice in color mixing to achieve the specific hues and tones present in the painting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main compositional elements: figure, table, plant, and background architecture.
step 02
Establish the basic color blocks for the background, including the red wall, curtains, and blue areas.
step 03
Block in the figure's clothing and skin tones, focusing on the overall shapes and values.
step 04
Begin adding details to the still life elements on the table, such as the tea set and tablecloth.
step 05
Develop the plant, paying attention to the shapes and values of the leaves.
step 06
Refine the figure's features and clothing details, including the lace collar and jewelry.
step 07
Add details to the background architecture and curtains, focusing on the patterns and textures.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors, values, and details to achieve a cohesive and finished painting.

color palette

primary · red · green · blue · brown

secondary · gold · white · pink · purple

Achieve the various reds by mixing crimson with white and a touch of yellow. Greens can be created by mixing blues and yellows, with browns added for muted tones. The skin tones require careful mixing of reds, yellows, whites, and browns.

techniques