plate no. 7839

Barong dancer

Romualdo Locatelli, 1939

oil, canvasOrientalismgenre paintingfiguredancergoldornateperformancetraditional clothing

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing movement with loose brushwork and mixing realistic skin tones with warm and cool shadows. It also provides practice in rendering complex textures and patterns with simplified shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic figure pose and proportions lightly on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the large shapes of the background with thin washes of color.
step 03
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the figure.
step 04
Begin building up the colors and details of the clothing and headdress, focusing on the gold tones.
step 05
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the subtle variations in skin tone.
step 06
Add details to the background, suggesting depth and atmosphere.
step 07
Use thicker paint and bolder brushstrokes to emphasize key areas of the painting.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · viridian green · alizarin crimson

Achieve the gold tones by mixing cadmium yellow with burnt umber and a touch of white. Create skin tones by mixing burnt umber, alizarin crimson, and yellow ochre, adjusting the ratios for highlights and shadows.

techniques