plate no. 2900

Music in New Orleans

oilAcademicismgenre paintingfigureguitarmanportraitmusicindoor

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing skin tones and anatomical structure, as well as practicing loose, expressive brushwork to create form and texture.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, guitar, and background.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by blocking in the main areas of color with thin washes.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, paying attention to the subtle variations in value and hue.
step 04
Define the features of the face, focusing on capturing the likeness and expression.
step 05
Add details to the guitar, including the strings, frets, and body.
step 06
Refine the background, using loose brushstrokes to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create form and dimension.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the composition and color balance.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Mix burnt umber and raw sienna with white to create a range of warm skin tones. Use yellow ochre to add warmth to the background and highlights. Add small amounts of ivory black to deepen shadows and create cool tones.

techniques

·alla prima
·color mixing
·portraiture
·scumbling
·dry brush

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality of the original.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
→Creating a background that is too distracting or overpowering.