plate no. 9552

Girl in a Basin

oilAcademicismnude painting (nu)nude figurebasinlyrelandscapetreessky

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure drawing, particularly rendering skin tones and anatomy, as well as creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the overall composition, focusing on the placement of the figure, basin, and background elements.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones with layers of subtle color variations, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 04
Refine the details of the figure, including the facial features, hair, and drapery.
step 05
Paint the background landscape, using lighter values and softer edges to create a sense of distance.
step 06
Add details to the basin and lyre, focusing on accurate proportions and textures.
step 07
Glaze over the entire painting to unify the colors and values.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · sap green · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, raw umber, and titanium white. Use small amounts of red or blue to adjust the temperature of the skin tones. Mix greens and blues for the background landscape, and add white to create atmospheric perspective.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·figure drawing
·atmospheric perspective
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy appearance.
→Failing to accurately capture the proportions of the figure.
→Creating too much contrast in the background, which can flatten the image.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the skin tones.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (yellow ochre, raw umber, titanium white, sap green, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife
·rags