plate no. 8789

The End of the Quest

Frank Dicksee, 1921

oilRomanticismgenre paintingfiguresarchitecturelandscapetreesromancebalcony

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure painting, particularly rendering realistic skin tones and drapery, as well as creating atmospheric perspective in the background landscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement and proportions of the figures and architectural elements.
step 02
Establish the background landscape with broad washes of color, paying attention to the atmospheric perspective.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures, using simplified color values to define the light and shadow.
step 04
Begin refining the details of the figures, focusing on the faces and hands.
step 05
Add details to the clothing, carefully rendering the folds and textures.
step 06
Paint the architectural details, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 07
Refine the background landscape, adding details to the trees and mountains.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · titanium white · ivory black · sap green · purple

Mix various shades of brown and red for the figures' clothing. Use blues and greens for the landscape, lightening the values for distant mountains. Mix skin tones with white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of blue.

techniques