plate no. 8722

Berkeley and Dorothy Sheffield

oilNaturalismportraitfigureschildrenportraitclothinginteriorbackground figures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding how to depict complex fabric folds and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figures.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using a limited palette of earth tones.
step 03
Develop the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Carefully render the details of the clothing, focusing on the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 05
Add the background elements, keeping them soft and out of focus.
step 06
Refine the details of the faces, capturing the likeness of the subjects.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Apply a final glaze to unify the painting and enhance the colors.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna

secondary · cadmium yellow light · alizarin crimson · ivory black

Mix various shades of white with small amounts of raw umber and burnt sienna to create the off-white tones of the clothing. Use alizarin crimson and cadmium yellow light to achieve the pink hues.

techniques