plate no. 9150

Consciousness of Shock

Victor Brauner, 1951

encaustic, wax, boardSurrealismsymbolic paintingfiguresbirdboatwaterpaddleabstract

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors, creating texture with wax or impasto, and simplifying complex forms into geometric shapes. It also encourages exploration of symbolic representation.

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 composition of the figures and boat onto the board.
step 02
Apply a base layer of pink and brown tones to the background, allowing for some variation in color.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures and boat with light brown and beige tones.
step 04
Add details to the figures, such as the bird's head, the eye, and the hands.
step 05
Define the boat's structure and add the paddle.
step 06
Use darker tones to create shadows and depth.
step 07
Incorporate white and light yellow to highlight certain areas and add contrast.
step 08
Add texture by layering wax or applying paint with a dry brush.

color palette

primary · pink · brown · beige

secondary · blue · yellow · white · green

Mix pink by combining white with a touch of red and brown. Achieve the beige tones by mixing white, yellow, and a small amount of brown. The blue is a mix of ultramarine and white.

techniques