plate no. 0734

Dean and Roberta Smith

oil, canvasContemporary Realismportraitportraitfiguresclothingchairbookbackground

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, realistic skin tones, and rendering of fabric textures. It also provides practice in creating a soft, diffused light effect and a harmonious color palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 40 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figures.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using thin washes of color.
step 03
Develop the background with soft, blended tones.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to accurate placement and subtle value changes.
step 05
Work on the clothing, rendering the folds and textures with careful brushwork.
step 06
Add details such as the book, jewelry, and chair.
step 07
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and colors as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · burnt umber · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of cadmium red light. Use ivory black and burnt umber for dark values, and titanium white for highlights. Mix ultramarine blue with burnt umber to create neutral grays for shadows.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·blending
·value studies
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the figures.
→Overly harsh or unrealistic skin tones.
→Lack of depth and dimension in the clothing.
→Poor blending of colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (24x30 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, ivory black, burnt umber, yellow ochre, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags