plate no. 3578
Figures standing (The Supper cycle)
Alberto Sughi, 1976
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, figure drawing, and creating a muted, atmospheric color palette. It also provides practice in rendering fabric and subtle light variations.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and placement of the figures and background elements.
- step 02
Establish the background using light and dark gray vertical stripes.
- step 03
Block in the main colors of the figures' clothing and skin tones.
- step 04
Refine the figures' features, paying attention to proportions and expressions.
- step 05
Add details to the clothing, such as folds and shadows.
- step 06
Paint the plates and utensils, focusing on highlights and reflections.
- step 07
Develop the floor with subtle variations in tone and texture.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · gray · blue · purple · brown
secondary · white · black
Achieve the muted tones by mixing grays with small amounts of blue, purple, and brown. Use white to lighten values and black to darken them.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·figure drawing
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall atmospheric effect.
- →Incorrect proportions of the figures.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in tone and texture.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Acrylic paints (gray, blue, purple, brown, white, black)
- ·Canvas or painting panel
- ·Assorted brushes (small round, medium flat)
- ·Palette
- ·Water container
- ·Palette knife
- ·Rags
- ·Pencil
optional
- ·Retarder medium
- ·Varnish
Use a smooth canvas to achieve the desired level of detail. Consider using a retarder medium to extend the drying time of the acrylic paints.
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