plate no. 2960

Five O'Clock

Guy Rose, 1910

oil, canvasImpressionismportraitportraitrosestable settingfigurestill lifegarden

some experience helpful

This painting provides an opportunity to practice impressionistic brushwork and color mixing to capture light and form. Students can develop skills in portraiture and still life composition.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure, table, and objects.
step 02
Establish the background with broad strokes of yellow and green, capturing the impressionistic foliage.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, using light and shadow to define form.
step 04
Paint the tablecloth with varied blues and whites, capturing the subtle folds and highlights.
step 05
Add the roses, focusing on capturing the color variations and textures with short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Paint the tea set and pears, paying attention to the reflections and highlights.
step 07
Refine the details of the figure's face, using subtle color changes to create depth and expression.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to enhance the overall impression of light and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson · titanium white

secondary · sap green · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow light

Mix various shades of green for the foliage by combining yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and a touch of burnt sienna. Achieve the skin tones by blending titanium white, alizarin crimson, and yellow ochre. Create the blues of the tablecloth by mixing ultramarine blue with varying amounts of titanium white.

techniques

·broken color
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·color layering
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows and highlights.
→Failing to capture the light and atmosphere.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson, titanium white, sap green, burnt sienna, cadmium yellow light)
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·rags