plate no. 2066
Mother and Child
Thérèse Schwartze, 1884
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding how to create depth and form through value and color.
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 proportions and placement of figures.
- step 02
Establish the background with broad strokes, capturing the texture of the wall.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures, paying attention to the light and shadow patterns.
- step 04
Begin refining the facial features, focusing on accurate proportions and subtle value changes.
- step 05
Develop the details of the clothing, capturing the folds and textures.
- step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Refine the background elements, such as the plant and pot.
- step 08
Add final details and adjustments to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · cadmium red
Mix blacks with blues and browns for depth. Use white sparingly to lighten colors, and mix browns with reds and yellows for skin tones.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall form.
- →Using too much white and making the colors look chalky.
- →Failing to capture the subtle value changes in the skin tones.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·retouch varnish
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to improve the flow and blending of the paints.
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