plate no. 1915
Still life with standing nude
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing for skin tones and drapery, as well as understanding how to depict form through subtle value changes. It also provides practice in arranging and painting a complex still life composition.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
2
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the overall composition, paying attention to the placement of the figure and still life elements.
- step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors of the background, drapery, and objects.
- step 03
Begin to develop the skin tones of the figure, using a limited palette and focusing on subtle value changes.
- step 04
Refine the shapes and colors of the still life elements, adding details to the fruit, vases, and other objects.
- step 05
Work on the drapery, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
- step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Refine the details and edges of the painting.
- step 08
Add final touches and adjust the overall composition as needed.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue
secondary · yellow ochre · viridian · burnt sienna
Mix skin tones using white, red, umber, and a touch of blue. Achieve the blue drapery by mixing ultramarine with white and a touch of umber. Greens are achieved by mixing blue and yellow.
techniques
- ·color mixing
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
- ·glazing
- ·figure drawing
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors and creating muddy tones.
- →Ignoring the subtle value changes in the skin tones.
- →Getting lost in the details and losing sight of the overall composition.
- →Not paying attention to the light source and shadows.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·#8 filbert brush
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·varnish
Use a medium-tooth canvas for best results. Consider using a glazing medium to add depth and luminosity to the colors.
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