plate no. 1668

Somewhere In America

Robert Brackman, 1934

oilRealismportraitportraitgirlstill lifefruittableclothtoy

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and skin tones, as well as understanding how to create a sense of depth through layering and color variation.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the girl, the chair, the tablecloth, and the fruit.
step 02
Block in the main color areas using thin washes of color, focusing on the overall tones.
step 03
Begin layering in the skin tones, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Develop the details of the dress and the toy, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
step 05
Work on the tablecloth, carefully rendering the pattern and its folds.
step 06
Paint the fruit, focusing on capturing their individual colors and textures.
step 07
Refine the background and the chair, adding details and adjusting values as needed.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre · raw umber

Mix various shades of blue and white for the dress. Use burnt sienna and white with touches of red and yellow for the skin tones. Achieve the tablecloth's red by mixing cadmium red with white, and use raw umber to tone it down.

techniques