plate no. 3458

Colhedores de Café

Candido Portinari, 1935

oil, canvasSocial Realismgenre paintingfiguresworkerscoffeelandscapebagstrees

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure drawing, composition with multiple subjects, and creating depth through value and color variation. It also provides practice in rendering textures of different materials like cloth, skin, and foliage.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the overall composition and placement of figures and objects.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and forms with simplified colors, focusing on value relationships.
step 03
Start refining the figures, paying attention to anatomy and proportions.
step 04
Develop the background elements, such as the trees and distant figures, using lighter values and less detail.
step 05
Add details to the foreground figures, including facial features, clothing folds, and textures.
step 06
Mix and apply highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the color palette, adjusting hues and saturation to achieve the desired mood.
step 08
Add final details and touch-ups to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · cadmium red light

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt umber, raw sienna, and white, adjusting proportions for darker or lighter shades. Mix black with burnt umber for deep shadows. Use yellow ochre and cadmium red light to create warm highlights.

techniques