plate no. 1538

New Owners (Tea-Drinking)

Nikolay Bogdanov-Belsky, 1913

oilRealismgenre paintingfiguresinteriortableteasamovarfamily

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting figures in an interior setting and understanding how to create depth through atmospheric perspective and color temperature. It also offers practice in rendering textures like fabric and wood.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the composition and placement of figures and objects.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 03
Establish the background and the light source, paying attention to how light affects the colors.
step 04
Develop the figures, starting with the larger shapes and gradually adding details.
step 05
Work on the textures of the clothing, tablecloth, and furniture.
step 06
Refine the details of the faces and hands, paying attention to the expressions.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve a harmonious overall effect.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

secondary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · yellow ochre

Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining the primary colors. Use white to lighten the colors and create highlights. Add small amounts of blue or green to create cooler tones for shadows.

techniques

·underpainting
·glazing
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·figure drawing

common pitfalls

→Getting lost in the details too early without establishing the overall composition and value structure.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Not paying enough attention to the proportions and anatomy of the figures.