plate no. 7803

Arnold Comes of Age

Grant Wood, 1930

oil, woodRegionalismportraitportraitfigurelandscapetreesskyhill

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, landscape painting, and achieving smooth gradations in color. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the proportions of the figure and the placement of the landscape elements.
step 02
Establish the background sky with a smooth gradient of blues.
step 03
Block in the large shapes of the hill and trees, paying attention to their relative values.
step 04
Begin layering colors on the figure's face and hands, building up subtle variations in tone.
step 05
Paint the figure's clothing, focusing on the dark values and smooth transitions.
step 06
Add details to the trees, including the pink blossoms and the texture of the bark.
step 07
Refine the landscape elements, adding details to the field and the figures in the background.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre

Achieve the skin tones by mixing burnt sienna, cadmium yellow, and titanium white, with small amounts of alizarin crimson for warmth. The dark clothing is a mix of ivory black and ultramarine blue. The pink blossoms are created by mixing alizarin crimson and titanium white.

techniques