plate no. 7212

Reaper

Konstantin Vasilyev, 1966

oilSymbolismportraitfigureportraitbirch treewheat fieldsicklefoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate skin tone mixing and rendering of facial features, as well as practice creating textures like the wheat field and birch bark.

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 of the figure, tree, and background.
step 02
Establish the main color blocks: skin tones, dress, hair, tree bark, and wheat field.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, paying attention to subtle shifts in value and hue.
step 04
Develop the details of the face, including eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Add details to the dress, including folds and embroidery.
step 06
Paint the birch tree bark, using a dry brush technique to create texture.
step 07
Create the wheat field using vertical strokes of varying yellows and browns.
step 08
Add final details, such as the flowers, leaves, and sickle.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium yellow · viridian green · alizarin crimson

Mix skin tones using yellow ochre, titanium white, and a touch of alizarin crimson or burnt umber. Create the wheat field by mixing different shades of yellow and brown, and the blue dress by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a touch of crimson.

techniques

·portraiture
·skin tone mixing
·dry brush texture
·blending
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a flat or lifeless appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
→Making the wheat field too uniform, lacking depth and texture.
→Inaccurate proportions of the figure.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints: yellow ochre, titanium white, ultramarine blue, burnt umber, cadmium yellow, viridian green, alizarin crimson
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags