plate no. 9957

Officer and Laughing Girl

oil, canvasBaroquegenre paintingfiguresinteriorwindowmaptablelight

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to depict light and shadow in an interior scene and how to render realistic skin tones and fabric textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figures and objects.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 03
Develop the light and shadow on the figures, paying close attention to the way light enters from the window.
step 04
Refine the details of the faces, clothing, and objects, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
step 05
Paint the map in the background, simplifying the details and focusing on the overall pattern.
step 06
Add highlights to the reflective surfaces, such as the glass and the metal trim on the clothing.
step 07
Glaze thin layers of color to adjust the tones and create depth.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · red ochre · ivory black · yellow ochre · raw umber

secondary · ultramarine blue · titanium white

Mix various shades of ochre and umber with white to create the skin tones and fabrics. Use ultramarine blue to create the darker tones in the shadows and the map.

techniques

·chiaroscuro
·glazing
·scumbling
·layering
·rendering

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
→Failing to capture the subtle gradations of light and shadow.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of unity.
→Not simplifying the map enough and making it too distracting.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 18x24
·Oil paints: red ochre, yellow ochre, raw umber, ivory black, ultramarine blue, titanium white
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags