plate no. 6516
Refugee
William H. Johnson, 1935
suitable for beginners
This painting is great for practicing simplified portraiture and color blocking. Students will learn to capture a likeness using basic shapes and limited color mixing.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 4 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, body, and dress.
- step 02
Block in the background with a solid layer of blue paint.
- step 03
Apply a base layer of skin tone to the face, neck, and arms.
- step 04
Paint the red dress, leaving space for the white collar.
- step 05
Add the white collar, blending slightly into the red dress.
- step 06
Define the hair with dark brown and yellow tones.
- step 07
Add details to the face: eyes, nose, and mouth using dark colors.
- step 08
Refine the edges and add any final touches.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · yellow ochre · titanium white
secondary · burnt umber
Mix skin tones by combining yellow ochre, white, and a touch of red. Darken colors with burnt umber.
techniques
- ·color blocking
- ·simplified shapes
- ·limited palette
- ·expressive brushstrokes
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details
- →Trying to achieve perfect realism
- →Using too many colors
- →Not simplifying the shapes enough
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·#2 round brush
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oils)
optional
- ·easel
- ·painting medium
- ·rags
Use a canvas with a medium texture to enhance the brushstrokes.
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