plate no. 0409

Grace Allison McCurdy and Her Daughters

oilNaïve Art (Primitivism)portraitfiguresportraitsdressesflowersfamilychildren

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and creating subtle variations in skin tones. It also offers practice in rendering fabric and simple floral elements.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, paying attention to the proportions of the figures and their placement on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the background with a dark, muted color.
step 03
Establish the main shapes of the figures and their dresses, using a light underpainting.
step 04
Begin layering in the skin tones, focusing on the subtle variations in light and shadow.
step 05
Develop the details of the dresses, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
step 06
Add the details of the hair, facial features, and hands.
step 07
Paint the floral elements, focusing on their shapes and colors.
step 08
Refine the overall composition and add any final details.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · raw umber · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red light · viridian

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and umber. Use black and umber to create the dark background. Mix white with small amounts of black and umber to create the shades of white in the dresses.

techniques

·portrait painting
·glazing
·layering
·underpainting
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a flat or lifeless appearance.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the figures.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in light and shadow.
→Making the white dresses too bright and lacking depth.
→Incorrect proportions of the figures.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (titanium white, ivory black, raw umber, yellow ochre, cadmium red light, viridian)
·Round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·Flat brush (#8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife