plate no. 5239

Pacific

Alex Colville, 1967

oilMagic Realismgenre paintingfigureoceanwindowtableguninterior

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the composition, paying attention to proportions and perspective.
step 02
Block in the major color areas: the sky, ocean, figure, table, and floor.
step 03
Start refining the skin tones of the figure, using subtle layers of color to build form.
step 04
Develop the details of the window frame and the louvers, focusing on accurate rendering of light and shadow.
step 05
Work on the texture of the wooden table, using thin glazes to create depth and grain.
step 06
Paint the ocean and sky, blending colors smoothly to suggest distance and atmosphere.
step 07
Add the details of the gun, paying attention to its shape and the way light reflects off its surface.
step 08
Refine the details of the floor tiles, ensuring they recede realistically into the distance.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ivory black

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, raw umber, and a touch of yellow ochre and burnt sienna. The ocean and sky are created with varying shades of blue and white, with subtle additions of grey for atmospheric perspective.

techniques