plate no. 4669
Tatonnement de la conscience
Victor Brauner, 1956
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic geometric shapes of the figure and background.
- step 02
Divide the face area into a grid of squares.
- step 03
Block in the large areas of color for the background stripes (red and black).
- step 04
Begin filling in the squares on the face with the various colors, paying attention to the subtle shifts in hue and value.
- step 05
Add the details of the eyes and mouth.
- step 06
Paint the body area with its vertical stripes, blending the colors slightly.
- step 07
Refine the edges of the shapes and add any final details.
- step 08
Allow to dry and apply a varnish if desired.
color palette
primary · red · black · green · blue
secondary · yellow · purple · pink · brown
Achieve the subtle color variations by mixing primary colors with white or small amounts of complementary colors. For example, mix green with a touch of red to create muted greens.
techniques
- ·color blocking
- ·geometric abstraction
- ·subtle blending
- ·linear perspective
- ·grid composition
common pitfalls
- →Uneven grid spacing.
- →Colors being too saturated or flat.
- →Losing the overall structure of the figure.
- →Not paying attention to the subtle tonal variations.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas or painting panel
- ·Acrylic or oil paints (red, black, green, blue, yellow, purple, pink, white)
- ·Assorted paint brushes (small round and flat brushes)
- ·Palette
- ·Palette knife
- ·Ruler
- ·Pencil
- ·Eraser
optional
- ·Medium (for oil paints)
- ·Varnish
Use a smooth canvas to allow for easier blending. Acrylics will dry faster, while oils will allow for more blending time.
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