plate no. 2514
Girl with firewood
George Pemba, 1957
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering skin tones and capturing likeness, as well as understanding how to create depth and form with color and brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
- step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with a thin wash of color.
- step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, using a limited palette and focusing on subtle value changes.
- step 04
Paint the clothing, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
- step 05
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Develop the background, including the building and foliage.
- step 07
Refine the details and add final touches, such as highlights and shadows.
- step 08
Varnish the painting when dry to protect the surface.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white
secondary · viridian green · cadmium yellow light
Mix burnt umber and ultramarine blue for darks, add yellow ochre and white for highlights. Use viridian green mixed with yellow ochre and white for the background.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·color mixing
- ·layering
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Ignoring the underlying structure of the face.
- →Getting proportions wrong.
- →Not paying attention to the light source.
- →Using too much detail too early.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-tooth canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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