plate no. 3532

Small children with newspapers

oil, canvasNaturalismgenre paintingchildrennewspaperssnowbuildingwindownight

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering figures in a muted palette and creating atmospheric perspective with subtle color shifts. It also provides practice in depicting textures like snow and aged paper.

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 and proportions of the figures and the building.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber, paying attention to the light source from the window.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the figures' clothing and skin tones, using a limited palette of earth tones.
step 04
Develop the background, creating the illusion of depth by gradually softening edges and lightening values.
step 05
Add details to the figures' faces and clothing, using small brushes and subtle color variations.
step 06
Paint the newspaper, focusing on capturing the texture and the subtle variations in tone.
step 07
Add the snow using small dabs of white paint, varying the size and density of the flakes.
step 08
Refine the details and add final touches, such as the mistletoe on the ground.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth colors with white and small amounts of blue or red. Use thin glazes to build up color and create subtle variations.

techniques