plate no. 1585

Girl sitting and boy with hat standing

Rafael Zabaleta, 1943

oil, canvasExpressionismportraitfigureschildrenportraithatdressbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including proportion and capturing likeness, as well as understanding color temperature and how to create depth through layering.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and background.
step 02
Block in the main color areas for the skin tones, clothing, and background.
step 03
Refine the shapes and add details to the faces, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 04
Develop the clothing folds and textures, using visible brushstrokes to create interest.
step 05
Work on the background, suggesting the pattern and light with loose brushwork.
step 06
Adjust the values and colors to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to bring the painting to life.
step 08
Step back and make any necessary adjustments to the overall composition.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium red light

secondary · cerulean blue · sap green · raw sienna

Mix skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red. Use white and blue to create the cool tones in the background. Muted greens can be achieved by mixing yellow ochre, blue, and a touch of red.

techniques

·blocking in
·layering
·dry brush
·color mixing
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive brushwork.
→Not paying enough attention to the values and creating a flat image.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing them to create subtle variations.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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