plate no. 0968
Around the Shade
Giuseppe de Nittis, 1880
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing light and shadow, as well as creating a sense of atmosphere through loose brushwork and color mixing. It will also teach them how to suggest details rather than rendering them precisely.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures and the lamp.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of red and brown.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures with dark and light values.
- step 04
Add highlights to the lamp and the figures' clothing to create a sense of light.
- step 05
Refine the details of the faces and hands, using small brushstrokes.
- step 06
Create texture in the background and clothing with broken brushwork.
- step 07
Add final touches and highlights to enhance the overall effect.
- step 08
Allow to dry and add a varnish for protection.
color palette
primary · red · brown · white · black
secondary · yellow ochre · gray
Mix various shades of red and brown to create the background. Use white to lighten the colors for highlights and gray to create shadows.
techniques
- ·broken brushwork
- ·scumbling
- ·glazing
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details
- →Using too much paint
- →Creating muddy colors
- →Ignoring the overall composition
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·red oil paint
- ·brown oil paint
- ·white oil paint
- ·black oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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