plate no. 4407

Banana Carrier

Irma Stern, 1946

oilPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfigurebananasheadscarfearringsfruit

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing, particularly achieving realistic skin tones and vibrant greens, and in creating texture through expressive brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, bananas, and background.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, bananas, headscarf, background, and clothing.
step 03
Start building up layers of color, focusing on the shadows and highlights on the face and bananas.
step 04
Use short, directional brushstrokes to create texture and form.
step 05
Mix subtle variations of green for the bananas and background, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 06
Add details to the headscarf and clothing, using contrasting colors and patterns.
step 07
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the expression and details of the eyes and mouth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · viridian green · cadmium red · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Mix greens by combining viridian green with yellow ochre and white. Achieve skin tones by blending burnt umber, cadmium red, and white, adjusting the proportions for highlights and shadows.

techniques