plate no. 8627
La mirada del espía
Angel Planells, 1977
some experience helpful
This painting offers practice in rendering realistic textures and creating a surreal composition. Students will develop skills in blending colors and creating depth through layering.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and placement of the objects: the stone head, playing card, tree, and clouds.
- step 02
Block in the background sky with a light blue, creating a smooth, even tone.
- step 03
Begin painting the clouds, using white and light gray to create volume and soft edges.
- step 04
Paint the stone head, focusing on the texture and shadows to give it a three-dimensional appearance.
- step 05
Carefully paint the eye within the stone head, paying attention to the details of the iris and pupil.
- step 06
Paint the playing card, accurately depicting the figure and the card's design.
- step 07
Add the tree trunk and branches, using dark browns and grays to create texture.
- step 08
Refine details and adjust values to create a cohesive and surreal composition.
color palette
primary · sky blue · white · tan · brown
secondary · red · yellow · green · gray
Mix various shades of blue for the sky by adding white or a touch of gray. Create the stone color by mixing tan, brown, and white. Achieve cloud volume by mixing white with small amounts of gray and blue.
techniques
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the clouds, resulting in a flat or muddy appearance.
- →Inaccurately rendering the details of the eye, making it look unnatural.
- →Failing to create depth and dimension in the stone head.
- →Incorrect proportions of the objects
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas
- ·Acrylic paints (sky blue, white, tan, brown, red, yellow, green, gray)
- ·Round brushes (various sizes)
- ·Flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·Palette
- ·Water container
- ·Paper towels
optional
- ·Palette knife
- ·Retarder medium
- ·Varnish
Use good quality acrylic paints for better color saturation and blending. A medium-sized canvas (16x20 inches) is recommended.
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