
plate no. 3789
Dorothy Lathrop, 1949
This painting offers practice in tonal rendering and creating textures through hatching and stippling. Students can develop skills in capturing likeness and depicting fur and foliage.
technical profile
approach — 8 steps
Create a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the woman's head and shoulders, the monkey, and the leaves.
Establish the darkest areas of the composition, such as the background and shadows on the clothing.
Begin adding mid-tones using hatching and cross-hatching techniques, paying attention to the direction of the light.
Develop the details of the woman's face, focusing on accurate proportions and subtle shading.
Render the monkey's fur using short, curved strokes to create texture and volume.
Add details to the leaves, using varying line weights to suggest depth and form.
Refine the overall tonal balance, adding highlights and deepening shadows as needed.
Add stippling to the background to create a subtle texture.
color palette
primary · black · white
secondary ·
Varying the ratio of black to white will create all the necessary shades of gray.
techniques
common pitfalls
surface · Smooth drawing paper
required
optional
Use a variety of pencil grades to achieve a full range of values. Experiment with different hatching and stippling techniques to find what works best for you.
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