plate no. 1933

Family Portrait

canvas, oilBaroquegenre paintingfiguresfamilyportraitdoginteriordresses

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering realistic figures, drapery, and creating a sense of depth through value and color variations. It also provides practice in capturing the subtle nuances of light and shadow on different textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare the canvas with a neutral ground.
step 02
Create a preliminary sketch outlining the main figures and composition.
step 03
Block in the large shapes and dark values using thin washes of color.
step 04
Begin building up the forms with layers of paint, focusing on the light and shadow.
step 05
Work on the details of the faces, paying attention to accurate proportions and expressions.
step 06
Render the drapery and fabrics, capturing the folds and textures.
step 07
Add the details of the background and foreground, creating a sense of depth.
step 08
Refine the painting with final touches and glazes to enhance the colors and values.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · raw sienna

Mix darks by combining burnt umber and ivory black. Achieve the silvery sheen of the dresses by mixing titanium white with small amounts of ivory black and ultramarine blue. Create the reds by mixing cadmium red with burnt umber for darker shades.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·portraiture
·drapery rendering

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
→Overworking the details too early in the painting process.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
→Not capturing the subtle nuances of light and shadow.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (24x30 inches)
·Oil paints (ivory black, burnt umber, titanium white, cadmium red, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, raw sienna)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Linseed oil
·Turpentine or mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags