plate no. 5853
Sleepwalker
some experience helpful
This painting offers practice in rendering the human form with subtle color variations and depicting reflections in water. Students can also learn to create depth using atmospheric perspective and value changes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition, paying attention to proportions and perspective.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the sky, grass, pool, and figure.
- step 03
Begin refining the colors and values in the figure, focusing on light and shadow.
- step 04
Develop the details of the pool and water reflections.
- step 05
Add details to the chairs and surrounding environment.
- step 06
Refine the edges and details throughout the painting.
- step 07
Add final highlights and shadows.
- step 08
Let dry and varnish (optional).
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · yellow ochre
secondary · viridian green · cadmium yellow light · raw umber
Mix various skin tones by blending burnt sienna, yellow ochre, and white. Achieve the pool's color by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a touch of green. Darken colors with raw umber.
techniques
- ·color mixing
- ·blending
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·rendering form
- ·creating reflections
common pitfalls
- →Incorrect proportions of the figure.
- →Overly harsh blending, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Inaccurate depiction of water reflections.
- →Ignoring subtle color variations in the skin tones.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·viridian green oil paint
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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