plate no. 7506

Surprise of the Wheat

Maruja Mallo, 1936

oilSurrealismportraitportraitfigurehandswheatfacesurreal

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing unique facial features and skin tones, as well as practicing precise rendering of details like the wheat stalks.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the face, hands, and wheat stalks, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the background color with a thin wash.
step 03
Establish the base skin tone using a mix of yellows, oranges, and reds.
step 04
Add shadows and highlights to the face and hands to create depth and volume.
step 05
Paint the hair using browns and blacks, adding subtle highlights.
step 06
Carefully render the details of the wheat stalks, using white and light yellows.
step 07
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Add final details and adjust colors as needed to match the original painting.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red · raw umber

Achieve the skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue and white for the eyes. Create the background with a mix of raw umber and a touch of blue.

techniques