plate no. 1337
Nahui Olin
Dr. Atl, 1922
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing for skin tones and creating atmospheric perspective with simplified shapes. It also provides practice in capturing a likeness and conveying emotion through facial features.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the figure, background, and horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, clouds, ground, and figure's clothing.
- step 03
Start defining the facial features, paying attention to proportions and placement.
- step 04
Mix and apply subtle color variations to the skin tones, using greens, pinks, and yellows.
- step 05
Refine the details of the hair, adding highlights and shadows.
- step 06
Add details to the background, such as the cloud swirls and the horizontal lines in the sky and ground.
- step 07
Adjust values and colors as needed to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Add final touches and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · ivory black · yellow ochre
secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · raw umber
Mix blues and white for the sky, adding a touch of yellow for the lower band. Create skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, white, red, and a touch of green or blue for shadows. The black is a mix of ivory black and raw umber.
techniques
- ·color mixing
- ·blocking in
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·portraiture
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth in the background.
- →Using too much detail too early in the process.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
- ·painting rags
A square canvas size would be appropriate for this composition. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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