plate no. 7290
Arshile Gorky
Andrey Allakhverdov, 2015
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones and clothing, and creating texture with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms and capturing the essence of a subject rather than photorealistic detail.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and objects, focusing on the overall composition.
- step 02
Block in the main color areas for the background, figures, and table using thin washes.
- step 03
Begin building up layers of color, gradually adding more detail and definition to the faces and clothing.
- step 04
Pay close attention to the light and shadow patterns to create form and depth.
- step 05
Mix colors on the palette to match the subtle variations in skin tones and clothing.
- step 06
Use visible brushstrokes to add texture and energy to the painting.
- step 07
Refine the details of the faces, bottle, and other objects.
- step 08
Add final touches and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · red · yellow · white · brown
secondary · green · blue · pink · black
Achieve skin tones by mixing red, yellow, white, and a touch of brown. Use green and brown to create the bottle color. Mix pink with white and red.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·layering
- ·color mixing
- ·visible brushstrokes
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality of the brushstrokes.
- →Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
- →Not paying enough attention to the light and shadow patterns.
- →Using colors that are too saturated or unrealistic.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·Oil paints (red, yellow, white, brown, green, blue, black)
- ·Palette
- ·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·Linseed oil
- ·Odorless mineral spirits
- ·Palette knife
- ·Rags
optional
- ·Medium gloss
- ·Retarder
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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