plate no. 3076

Patio

Zinaida Serebriakova, 1928

oilExpressionismgenre paintingfiguresarchitectureinteriorchildrenteapotdoorway

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure drawing, capturing light and shadow with pastels, and creating a sense of depth through layering and color variation. It also encourages expressive mark-making and capturing the essence of a scene rather than precise realism.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and placement of the figures and architectural elements.
step 02
Establish the main light source and map out areas of light and shadow with light pencil strokes.
step 03
Begin applying pastel colors, starting with the darkest values in the shadows.
step 04
Layer colors gradually, building up the mid-tones and highlights.
step 05
Use short, broken strokes to create texture and visual interest.
step 06
Pay attention to the color relationships between different elements in the painting.
step 07
Refine the details of the figures and architectural features.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · white · brown · purple · blue

secondary · pink · yellow · green

Mix browns with blues and purples to create shadows. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights. Experiment with layering colors to achieve subtle variations in tone.

techniques