plate no. 0590
La bonne conduite
Felix Labisse, 1950
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering metallic surfaces with subtle gradations and understanding surrealist composition. Students will also practice blending and layering to achieve smooth transitions.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition, paying attention to proportions.
- step 02
Block in the background sky and landscape with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Establish the main values on the figure, starting with the darkest shadows.
- step 04
Begin layering colors on the armor, blending to create a metallic sheen.
- step 05
Paint the blue drapery, focusing on the folds and highlights.
- step 06
Render the rose with careful attention to detail and color variations.
- step 07
Add the falling rose petals and the bare tree in the background.
- step 08
Refine details and adjust values to create depth and realism.
color palette
primary · titanium white · payne's gray · cadmium red · cerulean blue
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium orange
Mix Payne's gray and white for the armor's metallic tones. Use varying amounts of white to create highlights and shadows. Mix cadmium red with a touch of burnt umber for the rose's deeper shades.
techniques
- ·value studies
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·glazing
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overblending the metallic surfaces, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Incorrect proportions of the figure.
- →Inaccurate color mixing for the rose.
- →Ignoring subtle value changes in the armor.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·payne's gray oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·cerulean blue oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to improve blending and drying time.
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