plate no. 7871
She began nursing her child again singing a sort of lullaby to it
Charles Robinson, 1907
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly capturing expressions and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting fabrics and textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and objects.
- step 02
Outline the main features with a fine liner or pencil.
- step 03
Apply a base layer of color to the skin, clothing, and background.
- step 04
Build up the skin tones with layers of light pinks, reds, and browns.
- step 05
Add details to the face, such as wrinkles, eyes, and mouth.
- step 06
Render the clothing with folds and shadows.
- step 07
Paint the background details, such as the plates and wall.
- step 08
Refine the details and add highlights to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · red · white · yellow · brown
secondary · green · purple
Mix skin tones using white, red, yellow, and a touch of brown. Create shadows by adding a small amount of purple or green to the base skin tone.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·blending
- ·hatching
- ·contouring
- ·rendering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Failing to capture the expressions of the figures.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.
- →Not paying attention to the proportions of the figures.
materials
surface · Watercolor paper 140lb
required
- ·Watercolor paper or illustration board
- ·Pencils
- ·Fine liner pens
- ·Watercolor paints or colored pencils
- ·Brushes (various sizes)
- ·Palette
- ·Water container
- ·Eraser
optional
- ·Palette knife
- ·Masking fluid
- ·Blending stumps
Use high-quality materials for best results. Experiment with different brushes and techniques to find what works best for you.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
