plate no. 0486
Maternity
Dorothea Tanning, 1947
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering figures with draped fabric and creating atmospheric perspective in a surreal landscape. It also encourages exploration of color mixing to achieve muted and desaturated tones.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures, doorways, and horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and the ground.
- step 03
Begin to define the figures, paying attention to the folds and shadows in the fabric.
- step 04
Add details to the doorways, including the wood grain and hardware.
- step 05
Develop the atmospheric perspective by making the distant figure and landscape lighter and less detailed.
- step 06
Refine the details of the figures, including the faces and hands.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve the desired mood.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · raw sienna
Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors (e.g., yellow ochre and ultramarine blue) with white. Use burnt umber to create shadows and depth.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·figure drawing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall atmospheric effect.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth and distance.
- →Inaccurate proportions in the figures.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt umber, titanium white, ultramarine blue, raw sienna)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·rags
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·retouch varnish
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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