plate no. 3898

Mob Victim (Meditation)

Lois Mailou Jones, 1944

oilPost-Impressionismportraitfigureportraittreesfoliageskyrope

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, capturing skin tones, and creating depth through layering and brushwork. It also provides practice in depicting textures like fabric and rope.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure and background elements.
step 02
Establish the main value structure using a limited palette of earth tones.
step 03
Begin blocking in the skin tones, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Develop the details of the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Paint the shirt and pants, using visible brushstrokes to create texture and movement.
step 06
Add the rope detail, carefully observing the highlights and shadows.
step 07
Paint the background foliage and trees, using a variety of greens and browns.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a cohesive and dynamic composition.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · sap green · cadmium red

Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and white. Achieve skin tones by blending burnt umber, cadmium red, yellow ochre, and white.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·alla prima
·portraiture
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
→Creating a flat or lifeless composition by neglecting the value structure.
→Inaccurately capturing the proportions of the figure.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, burnt umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, sap green, cadmium red)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife