plate no. 1701

Peasant Family

Oleksandr Murashko, 1914

oilImpressionismportraitfiguresportraitsclothinginteriorwindowpaintings

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and capturing the nuances of light and shadow on figures. It also provides practice in depicting textures of clothing and creating a sense of depth in an interior scene.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement and proportions of the figures.
step 02
Establish the background with light washes of color, paying attention to the light coming through the window.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures with simplified colors, focusing on the overall values.
step 04
Begin to refine the skin tones, mixing subtle variations of color for highlights and shadows.
step 05
Develop the details of the clothing, using brushstrokes to suggest texture and form.
step 06
Add the details of the faces, paying attention to the expressions and individual features.
step 07
Refine the background elements, adding details to the paintings on the wall and the plant.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · raw sienna

Mix skin tones using yellow ochre, burnt umber, cadmium red, and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create blacks and grays for the clothing. Mix greens for the plant and background using viridian green, yellow ochre, and titanium white.

techniques

·portraiture
·color mixing
·brushwork
·layering
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to capture the correct proportions of the figures.
→Using colors that are too saturated or unrealistic.
→Ignoring the effects of light and shadow on the forms.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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