plate no. 7693

Burial

Emil Nolde, 1915

oilExpressionismsymbolic paintingfiguresburialreligiousemotionalgrief

some experience helpful

This painting is great for learning how to simplify complex figures into basic shapes and use bold colors to convey emotion. Students will also practice expressive brushwork and color mixing to create depth and form.

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, focusing on proportions and composition.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of ochre and raw umber.
step 03
Apply the base colors for each figure: blues, yellows, reds, and browns.
step 04
Start building up layers of color, using thicker paint and visible brushstrokes.
step 05
Mix slightly darker and lighter shades of each color to create form and depth.
step 06
Add details to the faces and hands, focusing on capturing the emotional expressions.
step 07
Use red to emphasize the wounds and add visual impact.
step 08
Refine the edges and add final touches to the composition.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · raw umber

secondary · cadmium red · titanium white

Mix blues with white to create lighter shades for highlights. Use yellow ochre and raw umber to create the skin tones. Mix red with a touch of brown to create a deeper, more muted red.

techniques

·expressive brushwork
·color layering
·simplified forms
·impasto
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Not paying attention to the proportions of the figures.
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
→Being afraid to use bold brushstrokes.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·ultramarine blue oil paint
·yellow ochre oil paint
·raw umber oil paint
·cadmium red oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·#8 flat brush
·palette

optional

·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·medium gloss

Use a medium-sized canvas to allow for expressive brushwork. Oil paints are recommended for their rich colors and blending capabilities. Acrylics can be used as well, but will dry faster.

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