plate no. 7718

Portrait of Two Children

oil, canvasImpressionismportraitportraitchildrenfiguresclothinghair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly capturing likeness and using impressionistic brushstrokes to suggest form. It also provides practice in color mixing and creating soft, diffused lighting effects.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the two children.
step 02
Establish the background with broad, loose strokes of blended colors.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin tones, hair, and clothing.
step 04
Begin to refine the facial features, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 05
Add details to the clothing and hair, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Soften edges and blend colors to create a sense of atmosphere.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create depth.
step 08
Review and adjust the composition and color balance as needed.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

secondary · alizarin crimson · viridian green · raw umber

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use ultramarine blue and white for the cooler tones in the clothing and background. Mix greens from yellow ochre and ultramarine.

techniques