plate no. 2207

Bedtime

oil, canvasAcademicismgenre paintingfiguresmotherchildinteriorchairdoll

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, rendering fabric textures, and creating a sense of depth through subtle value changes. It also provides practice in capturing realistic skin tones and hair.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and composition, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the background color and the basic shapes of the figures.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the mother's dress, the child's dress, and the chair.
step 04
Begin to refine the skin tones, using thin layers of paint and subtle blending.
step 05
Add details to the faces, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Work on the fabric folds and textures, using highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 07
Paint the details of the doll and the pearls.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of realism.

color palette

primary · crimson · ivory black · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

secondary · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium yellow light

Mix crimson and ivory black for the deep reds of the dress. Use yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and white to create the background teal. Mix white with small amounts of yellow ochre and burnt umber for skin tones.

techniques

·glazing
·blending
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Failing to capture accurate proportions of the figures.
→Ignoring the subtle value changes that create depth.
→Getting lost in details too early in the process.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 18x24 inches
·Oil paints (crimson, ivory black, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, titanium white, burnt umber)
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Painting medium