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home·artworks·The Blessed
The Blessed by Jose Gutierrez Solana

plate no. 2033

The Blessed

Jose Gutierrez Solana, 1933

oilExpressionismgenre paintingfigurechairbuildinginteriorreligiousarchitecture

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

  1. step 01

    Lightly sketch the basic shapes: the figure, chair, and building.

  2. step 02

    Establish the darkest areas of the figure and building with a dark brown or black.

  3. step 03

    Use hatching and cross-hatching to build up the shadows and create volume.

  4. step 04

    Pay attention to the direction of the lines to suggest the form of the objects.

  5. step 05

    Add details to the chair and building, such as the slats of the chair and the roof of the building.

  6. step 06

    Use a lighter brown or ochre to create the background and add highlights.

  7. step 07

    Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

  8. step 08

    Add final touches to the linework to define the forms.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna

secondary · black · ochre

Mix burnt umber with small amounts of black to create the darkest shadows. Use raw sienna and ochre for the lighter areas and background.

techniques

  • ·hatching
  • ·cross-hatching
  • ·dry brush
  • ·scumbling
  • ·line drawing

common pitfalls

  • →overworking the details
  • →not varying the line weight
  • →making the values too uniform
  • →losing the overall composition

materials

surface · stretched canvas or heavy paper

required

  • ·canvas or paper
  • ·burnt umber oil paint or ink
  • ·raw sienna oil paint or ink
  • ·black oil paint or ink
  • ·round brush size 2-4
  • ·palette or mixing surface
  • ·linseed oil or water

optional

  • ·palette knife
  • ·medium (for oil paint)
  • ·varnish

Use a textured surface to enhance the effect of the brushstrokes. For ink, use a smooth paper.

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