plate no. 6279
Aged Hungarian peasant woman
Endre Bartos, 1958
some experience helpful
This painting provides a good exercise in capturing a likeness with limited color and loose brushwork. Students can improve their understanding of value relationships and creating form with simple shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
- step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Block in the large areas of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to subtle changes in value and color.
- step 05
Add details to the clothing and background, maintaining the loose brushwork.
- step 06
Create the shadow and the plate with food.
- step 07
Adjust the overall composition and values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to bring the painting to life.
color palette
primary · ivory black · burnt umber · raw sienna
secondary · cadmium red light · titanium white
Mix different values of black with umber and sienna to create the dark tones. Use white to lighten the colors and create highlights. A touch of red can be added to the skin tones for warmth.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·value study
- ·limited palette
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose brushwork.
- →Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·round brushes
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
Use a medium-sized canvas to allow for loose brushwork. Consider using a toned canvas to establish a base color.
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