plate no. 2357
Ippy and Gertie Sun
Isaac Israels, 1917
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing likeness with loose brushwork and understanding color temperature to create form. It also provides practice in simplifying complex subjects into basic shapes and values.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and setting.
- step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Begin building up the colors of the dresses, focusing on the overall color harmony.
- step 04
Add details to the faces, paying attention to the highlights and shadows.
- step 05
Refine the background and surrounding elements, keeping them soft and muted.
- step 06
Develop the texture of the dresses with short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Step back and assess the overall composition, making any necessary adjustments.
color palette
primary · crimson · ultramarine blue · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt umber · violet · raw sienna
Mix crimson and ultramarine for the purples in the dress. Use white to create lighter tints. Yellow ochre and burnt umber can be mixed for the chair and skin tones.
techniques
- ·broken brushstrokes
- ·color layering
- ·scumbling
- ·alla prima
- ·limited palette
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
- →Using too much detail in the background, distracting from the figures.
- →Failing to capture the correct proportions of the figures.
- →Inaccurate color mixing, resulting in a muddy or unnatural palette.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·rags
optional
- ·medium (e.g. Liquin)
- ·varnish
- ·easel
Use a medium-tooth canvas for better texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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