plate no. 8789

Before the Singing

Antonio Donghi, 1930

oilMagic Realismgenre paintingfiguresguitardressesroomportrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle shading, and learn to depict fabric folds and textures with a limited color palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and the guitar.
step 02
Block in the background and the overall color tones of the dresses and skin.
step 03
Start refining the shapes of the faces and hands, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Add details to the guitar, including the strings, frets, and soundhole.
step 05
Develop the folds and shadows in the dresses, using subtle color variations.
step 06
Refine the background and add any final details, such as the flower on the white dress.
step 07
Glaze to unify the colors and add depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium yellow · burnt sienna · alizarin crimson

Mix various shades of skin tones using white, yellow ochre, raw umber, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Achieve the dress colors by mixing white with yellow ochre and a small amount of raw umber or ultramarine blue for the blueish-grey.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·blending
·color mixing
·fabric rendering

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the figures.
→Overly harsh blending, resulting in a flat appearance.
→Inaccurate color mixing, leading to muddy or unnatural colors.
→Neglecting the subtle shadows and highlights that give the painting depth.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (titanium white, yellow ochre, raw umber, ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow, burnt sienna, alizarin crimson)
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags