plate no. 4874
Feeding the doves
Émile Munier, 1890
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering realistic skin tones, creating soft transitions, and capturing the texture of fabric and foliage. It also offers practice in depicting animal forms in motion.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure, fence, and birds.
- step 02
Establish the background with broad strokes, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, paying attention to proportions and gesture.
- step 04
Begin layering skin tones, using subtle variations in color to create form and volume.
- step 05
Develop the details of the clothing, capturing the folds and textures of the fabric.
- step 06
Paint the doves, focusing on their anatomy and the movement of their wings.
- step 07
Add the details of the fence and surrounding foliage, using a variety of brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 08
Refine the overall painting, paying attention to the balance of light and shadow.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light · sap green
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of blue or umber for shadows. Achieve the soft greens of the foliage by mixing yellow ochre, sap green, and white.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·rendering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a flat or lifeless appearance.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
- →Neglecting the details of the background, resulting in a lack of depth.
- →Making the birds appear static or unnatural.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas 18x24
- ·Titanium white oil paint
- ·Yellow ochre oil paint
- ·Raw umber oil paint
- ·Ivory black oil paint
- ·Ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·Cadmium red light oil paint
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 filbert brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium such as linseed oil can be used to thin the paints and improve flow.
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