plate no. 9657

By the Girl's Bed

Jakub Schikaneder, 1910

oilRealisminteriorinteriorfigurecandlebedwindowlight

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in creating atmospheric perspective and rendering subtle light effects using a limited color palette. It also provides practice in depicting figures in shadow and suggesting details rather than explicitly defining them.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a mid-tone brown or gray.
step 02
Lightly sketch the main compositional elements: the bed, the figure, the window, and the candle.
step 03
Establish the darkest areas of the painting using a dark brown or black.
step 04
Block in the general areas of light and shadow, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 05
Begin to refine the light around the candle, using thin layers of yellow and orange.
step 06
Soften the edges of the forms and blend the colors to create a sense of atmosphere.
step 07
Add subtle details to the figure and the bed, keeping them soft and indistinct.
step 08
Add final highlights and adjust values to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · ultramarine blue

Achieve the warm glow by mixing yellow ochre and cadmium yellow. Use burnt umber and ultramarine blue to create the dark shadows. Add titanium white to lighten the colors and create highlights.

techniques