plate no. 7819

Grandmother's Garret

oilAmerican Realismgenre paintingfiguresinteriorclothingtrunkshadowsdress

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering figures in low light and creating a sense of depth through subtle value changes. It also provides practice in painting fabric and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a mid-tone brown or gray.
step 02
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures and the trunk.
step 03
Block in the large areas of dark values, establishing the overall shadow pattern.
step 04
Begin to build up the lighter areas on the figures and the trunk, paying attention to the direction of the light source.
step 05
Mix and apply the subtle color variations in the clothing, focusing on the folds and highlights.
step 06
Refine the details of the faces and hands, using small brushes and careful blending.
step 07
Add the final highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and realism.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and adjust the overall tone.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · ultramarine blue · raw umber

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Mix blacks and browns with blues to create the deep shadows. Use white and small amounts of yellow ochre to create the highlights on the figures and clothing. Use ultramarine blue and white for the dress.

techniques

·chiaroscuro
·glazing
·blending
·scumbling
·value studies

common pitfalls

→Overworking the highlights and losing the sense of depth.
→Making the shadows too flat and undefined.
→Failing to capture the subtle color variations in the clothing.
→Incorrect proportions of the figures.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (ivory black, titanium white, ultramarine blue, raw umber, yellow ochre, burnt sienna)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round and flat, various sizes)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags