plate no. 8902

A Dog

Franz Marc, 1912

oil, canvasExpressionismanimal paintingdogcatfoxanimalsabstractnature

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to use color to define form and explore simplified shapes and abstracted representation. It also provides practice in layering colors and creating a sense of depth through color relationships.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and placement of the dog, cat, and fox on the canvas using light pencil lines.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the background and the animals, focusing on the overall composition.
step 03
Begin to refine the shapes of the animals, paying attention to the planes and angles of their bodies.
step 04
Layer in the secondary colors and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 05
Add details such as the eyes and fur texture using small brushstrokes.
step 06
Adjust the colors and values as needed to create a harmonious and balanced composition.
step 07
Add final touches and highlights to enhance the overall effect.
step 08
Allow the painting to dry completely.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · viridian green

Mix white with small amounts of blue, sienna, and yellow to achieve the various shades of the dog. Use red and sienna for the fox. Mix blue and yellow for the greens.

techniques

·Blocking in
·Color layering
·Simplified form representation
·Abstracted shapes
·Impasto

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the simplified forms.
→Using colors that are too saturated and creating a jarring effect.
→Not paying attention to the overall composition and creating a disjointed image.
→Failing to capture the essence of the animals' forms.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (titanium white, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, cadmium red, viridian green)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (flat and round)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags