plate no. 7602
Houses with Crippled Man
Istvan Ilosvai Varga, 1939
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose brushwork and capturing atmospheric perspective with a limited color palette. It also encourages simplification of complex forms into basic shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and street, focusing on perspective.
- step 02
Block in the darkest values with a mix of burnt umber and ultramarine blue.
- step 03
Add mid-tones using a mix of burnt sienna, white, and a touch of the dark mixture.
- step 04
Establish the light areas with a mix of white and a small amount of yellow ochre.
- step 05
Use short, broken brushstrokes to create texture and suggest details in the buildings and trees.
- step 06
Soften edges and blend areas to create a sense of atmosphere.
- step 07
Add the figure with simple, dark strokes.
- step 08
Refine the details and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · titanium white · burnt sienna
secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre
Achieve the various browns and grays by mixing burnt umber, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, and white in different proportions. Use yellow ochre sparingly to warm up the highlights.
techniques
- ·broken brushstrokes
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·value blocking
- ·limited palette
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
- →Creating overly harsh lines and edges.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Using too many colors and creating a muddy effect.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
A toned canvas (e.g., with a thin wash of burnt umber) can be helpful for establishing the initial values.
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