plate no. 2558

Man with Hat and Woman with Black Scarf

Lajos Gulacsy, 1915

oilExpressionismgenre paintingfigureshatscarfcandleportraitclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering paint, creating texture with visible brushstrokes, and using a limited color palette to create a unified and expressive artwork. It also provides practice in capturing the essence of a subject rather than precise realism.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a warm brown or ochre base.
step 02
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and positions of the figures and the candle.
step 03
Begin blocking in the main areas of color with thin washes, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 04
Build up layers of paint, using thicker strokes to create texture and define forms.
step 05
Pay attention to the direction of the brushstrokes to suggest the contours of the figures and the folds of the clothing.
step 06
Mix and apply darker values to create shadows and depth, particularly around the woman's scarf and the man's hat.
step 07
Add highlights to the candle and the man's face to create focal points.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to achieve the desired mood and effect.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · ivory black · purple

Mix burnt umber and raw sienna for warm browns. Add white to create lighter tones. Use small amounts of cadmium red for the reddish hues in the man's clothing. Mix ivory black with burnt umber for the darks in the woman's scarf.

techniques