plate no. 2089

A London Jo - the End of the Day

oil, canvasNaturalismgenre paintingfigureboybroominteriorwallbench

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering realistic skin tones and capturing subtle gradations of light and shadow. It also offers practice in depicting textures, such as the broom and the boy's clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and the main shapes.
step 02
Establish the background and the wall with broad, muted tones.
step 03
Block in the main values of the figure, paying attention to the light source.
step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, using layers of thin paint and subtle color variations.
step 05
Add details to the clothing, broom, and other elements, focusing on texture.
step 06
Refine the shadows and highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Pay close attention to the boy's facial expression and hands.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · burnt sienna

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black · cadmium red

Mix skin tones by blending white, burnt sienna, and a touch of yellow ochre and red. Use raw umber and black to create the darker tones in the background and clothing.

techniques

·underpainting
·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the subtle gradations of light and shadow.
→Ignoring the importance of texture in the clothing and broom.
→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, ivory black, cadmium red)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags