plate no. 8397

Carnevale

Antonio Donghi, 1923

oilMagic Realismgenre paintingfiguresclownsmusicianguitararchitecturecostumes

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure painting, particularly rendering fabric and creating subtle tonal variations in a limited color palette. It also offers practice in accurately depicting geometric patterns and architectural forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and background.
step 02
Establish the main areas of color: the background, the costumes, and the guitar.
step 03
Begin layering in the local colors of each area, focusing on the mid-tones.
step 04
Add darker values to create shadows and define forms, paying attention to the light source.
step 05
Introduce highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 06
Carefully paint the details of the costumes, guitar, and facial features.
step 07
Refine the edges and transitions between colors.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed to achieve a sense of realism.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · cadmium red light · cadmium yellow light · ultramarine blue

The painting relies heavily on muted tones. Mix white with small amounts of raw umber and black to achieve the various shades of gray and beige. Use small amounts of cadmium red and yellow to create the colors of the harlequin costume. Mix ultramarine blue with raw umber for the darker shades.

techniques