plate no. 9254

The Back Operation

oil, panelBaroquegenre paintingfiguresinteriormedicaltablechairportrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to create realistic skin tones and how to use light and shadow to create depth and form. It also provides practice in capturing expressions and gestures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement and proportions of the figures.
step 02
Establish the dark background using thin washes of dark brown and black.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures with mid-tone values, paying attention to the light source.
step 04
Begin building up the skin tones, using a limited palette of white, ochre, red, and brown.
step 05
Add highlights and shadows to create form and volume in the figures.
step 06
Paint the details of the clothing and objects on the table.
step 07
Refine the facial expressions and gestures of the figures.
step 08
Add final glazes to unify the painting and enhance the colors.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light

Mix skin tones by combining white with small amounts of yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and cadmium red. Use raw umber and ivory black to create shadows and darker tones.

techniques

·underpainting
·glazing
·chiaroscuro
·scumbling
·dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Getting lost in details before establishing the overall form.
→Ignoring the importance of edges and transitions.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, burnt sienna, titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium red light)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife
·rags