plate no. 7953
Girl at the keyboards
Walter Gramatté, 1922
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice layering colors, creating depth with reflections, and capturing the essence of a scene with simplified forms and visible brushstrokes. It also provides a good exercise in understanding color temperature and creating a cohesive color scheme.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition lightly on the canvas.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the blue wall, the piano, the mirror, and the figure.
- step 03
Start defining the shapes of the figure and the piano, paying attention to the light and shadow.
- step 04
Add the details of the mirror and the reflection, simplifying the forms and colors.
- step 05
Refine the colors and values, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
- step 06
Add the details of the frames and the pictures on the wall.
- step 07
Adjust the overall composition and colors to create a cohesive and balanced painting.
- step 08
Add final touches and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · ivory black
secondary · yellow ochre · titanium white
Mix ultramarine blue with white to create the various shades of blue for the wall. Use burnt sienna and black to create the dark tones for the figure and piano. Mix burnt sienna with white and a touch of yellow ochre to create the colors for the chair and piano.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·layering
- ·dry brushing
- ·color mixing
- ·simplification
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details, losing the expressive brushstrokes.
- →Not simplifying the reflection enough, making it too realistic.
- →Using too much detail in the background, distracting from the main subject.
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the figure and the piano.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
related artworks
Dolly Sisters
Kees van Dongen
Nude with Loaves
Jean Helion
My Father
Carlos Botelho
Helen
Chronis Botsoglou
The portrait painter in the country
Albin Egger-Lienz
Marketta on Lázeňská street, Prague
Maria Bozoky
Winter at the Entrepotdok, in Amsterdam city
Paul Werner
Old Woman with Masks (Theatre of Masks)
James Ensor