plate no. 9351

Self-Portrait with his Family in Front of Their House

Maurice Denis, 1916

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismself-portraitself-portraitfiguresbuildingtreesgardenartist

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, composition, and color mixing to achieve a harmonious and atmospheric effect. It also provides practice in rendering figures and architectural elements within a landscape setting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the artist's figure, the building, and the surrounding landscape.
step 02
Establish the background colors first, blocking in the sky, building walls, and greenery with broad strokes.
step 03
Mix the skin tones for the portrait, paying attention to subtle variations in light and shadow.
step 04
Start adding details to the building, including windows, roof tiles, and architectural features.
step 05
Define the figures in the background, simplifying their forms and focusing on their overall shapes.
step 06
Work on the details of the artist's face, adding highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the foliage and other details in the foreground, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to complete the painting, ensuring a cohesive and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · flesh tones (various) · sky blue · ochre · burnt umber

secondary · sap green · cadmium red · ultramarine blue

Mix various flesh tones by combining red, yellow, white, and a touch of blue. Achieve the building's pinkish hue by mixing white, red, and a touch of yellow ochre.

techniques

·portraiture
·color mixing
·broken brushstrokes
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the background
→Inaccurate proportions in the portrait
→Muddying the colors by over-mixing
→Ignoring the subtle variations in light and shadow

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints
·palette
·assorted brushes
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette knife

optional

·medium gloss
·easel
·rags
·photo reference

Use a medium-sized canvas to allow for sufficient detail in the portrait and background. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.

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