plate no. 8353

First Day at the Beach

oilImpressionismnude painting (nu)figureskycloudsrockswaternude

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice color mixing for skin tones and learn to suggest form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides an opportunity to simplify complex forms into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the figure, rocks, and background.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, figure, and rocks using diluted paint.
step 03
Begin layering in more opaque paint to define the form of the figure, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 04
Add details to the rocks, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 05
Paint the green fabric, focusing on the pattern and folds.
step 06
Refine the edges and details of the figure, adding highlights and shadows.
step 07
Add the final touches to the background, blending the colors to create a sense of depth.
step 08
Let dry and add a varnish.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · cerulean blue · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · burnt sienna

Mix yellow ochre and white for the base skin tone, adding touches of red for warmth and umber for shadows. Mix blue and white for the sky, adding touches of umber for clouds.

techniques

·dry brush
·scumbling
·color mixing
·blocking in
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Making the rocks too detailed and distracting from the figure.
→Not paying attention to the proportions of the figure.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing them.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (yellow ochre, cerulean blue, titanium white, raw umber, cadmium red, viridian green, burnt sienna)
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits