plate no. 3322

By the Candlelight

oil, canvasRomanticismgenre paintingfigurecandlelightapplesnightportraitbasket

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand chiaroscuro and how to create a focal point using light. It's also a good exercise in painting skin tones under artificial light.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and the light source.
step 02
Establish the dark background using a mix of dark browns and blues.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure and objects with mid-tone values.
step 04
Begin layering in the highlights and shadows, paying close attention to the direction of the candlelight.
step 05
Refine the skin tones, using subtle variations of warm and cool colors.
step 06
Add details to the face, clothing, and objects, such as the apples and basket.
step 07
Create the glow effect around the candle by layering thin washes of yellow and orange.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to enhance the realism and depth.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue

Achieve the warm glow by mixing cadmium yellow with a touch of burnt sienna. Create the skin tones by mixing raw sienna, alizarin crimson, and titanium white, adjusting the ratios for highlights and shadows.

techniques