plate no. 7091

Animal Trainer

Antonio Donghi, 1946

oilMagic Realismportraitfiguredogsladdercircusportraitstage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for subtle skin tones, and rendering smooth gradients to create form. It also provides practice in depicting realistic textures and details, like the fabric of the dress and the fur of the dogs.

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 proportions of the figure and the placement of the objects.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors, starting with the background and the largest areas.
step 03
Begin to refine the figure's features, paying attention to the highlights and shadows to create form.
step 04
Add details to the dress, including the texture of the fabric and the floral embellishment.
step 05
Paint the dogs, carefully observing their anatomy and fur patterns.
step 06
Render the ladder and other objects in the background, using perspective to create depth.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting colors and values as needed.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson · ivory black

Mix skin tones by blending white, raw umber, and small amounts of red and blue. Achieve the pink dress color by mixing white with alizarin crimson and a touch of blue. Use yellow ochre and raw umber for the background, adjusting the values with white and black.

techniques