plate no. 9836

Bonnichsen family

Emil Nolde, 1915

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfamilyfiguresclothingindoors

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice simplified color mixing and expressive brushwork to capture likeness and mood. It also provides practice in creating a unified composition with multiple figures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and placement of the figures on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of burnt sienna and raw umber.
step 03
Establish the main color blocks for each figure: skin tones, clothing, and hair.
step 04
Mix and apply the base colors for the skin, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone.
step 05
Add details to the clothing, such as the stripes on the woman's dress and the bow tie on the man.
step 06
Refine the facial features, focusing on capturing the expressions of each figure.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Review and adjust the overall composition, making sure the figures are balanced and unified.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light · raw umber

Mix skin tones with white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of blue. Achieve the dark blues by mixing ultramarine with burnt umber. Use white to lighten and create highlights.

techniques

·blocking in
·expressive brushstrokes
·color mixing
·layering
·simplification

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality of the brushstrokes.
→Getting bogged down in precise color matching; focus on capturing the overall impression.
→Neglecting the background and its role in unifying the composition.
→Not simplifying the forms enough, leading to a cluttered and confusing image.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium red light, raw umber)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (flat and round)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or mineral spirits
·rags