plate no. 8231

St. Genois d’Anneaucourt

Christian Schad, 1927

oil, panelMagic Realismportraitportraitfigurescityscapebuildingsclothingnight

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as practice creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective in the background.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch outlining the composition and proportions of the figures and background.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then moving to the figures.
step 03
Refine the skin tones, paying close attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Develop the details of the clothing, including the textures and folds.
step 05
Add the architectural details of the cityscape in the background, focusing on perspective and light.
step 06
Refine the facial features, capturing the likeness of the subjects.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Apply final details and adjustments to unify the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · raw umber · cadmium red light

secondary · sap green · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson

Mix skin tones by blending white, red, umber, and a touch of yellow. Achieve the dark background by mixing black, umber, and a hint of red. Use glazes to create depth in the skin tones.

techniques