plate no. 6978

Old 76 and Young 48

oil, canvasRealismgenre paintingfiguresinteriorfireplacetabledogportrait

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, rendering textures of fabric and wood, and creating depth through atmospheric perspective and value control.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 40 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 shapes and values using thin washes of color.
step 03
Establish the light source and begin to build up the forms with layers of paint, paying attention to the highlights and shadows.
step 04
Work on the details of the faces, clothing, and objects, using smaller brushes and finer strokes.
step 05
Develop the background and create a sense of depth by softening the edges and reducing the contrast in the distance.
step 06
Add final details and highlights to bring the painting to life.
step 07
Glaze to unify the colors and add depth.
step 08
Varnish to protect the painting and enhance the colors.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · ivory black · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · raw sienna

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and using a limited palette. Use white to lighten values and black to darken them. Browns are achieved by mixing red, yellow, and blue.

techniques