plate no. 7817
The first coat
Vladimir Makovsky, 1892
recreation guide
Vladimir Makovsky’s 'The First Coat' (1892) is a genre painting that reflects the artist’s transition in the late 1880s toward more somber, psychologically complex works, moving away from the humorous social satire of his earlier period (Source 7). As a member of the Association of Travelling Art Exhibitions and a professor at the Moscow Art School, Makovsky was trained in rigorous academic realism, which likely informed the structural integrity and narrative clarity of this piece (Source 7). The work belongs to the tradition of 19th-century genre painting, which often depicted scenes of everyday life with a 'reality effect' rather than strict documentary accuracy, aiming to convey moral or social messages through carefully composed domestic or social snapshots (Source 4, Source 6).
estimated time
40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Ultramarine, Black, White, Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion) | Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing | Standard tube oils; ensure high transparency for glazing colors |
| Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia | Medium for mixing paints, particularly for the initial underpainting layers | Stand oil or refined linseed oil; Copavia is a historical resinous oil often replaced by modern alkyds or pure linseed for safety and handling |
| Varnish (Dammar or Mastic) | Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and flow | Artist-grade retouching varnish or painting medium |
| Canvas or Panel | Support for the painting | Linen canvas primed with gesso |
| Charcoal or Conté Crayon | Underdrawing | Vine charcoal or graphite |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a neutral ground, likely a warm grey or mid-tone, to facilitate the glazing technique described in historical practice. While Makovsky’s specific ground for this piece is not explicitly detailed in the sources, the academic tradition he belonged to often utilized a toned ground to help judge values during the grisaille stage. Ensure the surface is smooth to allow for the fine finish characteristic of Russian Realism.
underdrawing
Execute a precise underdrawing focusing on the composition’s narrative elements. As a genre painting, the arrangement of figures and objects must convey the story clearly (Source 3). Makovsky’s academic training suggests a careful study of proportions and anatomy before applying paint. Use charcoal or a thin wash to establish the main forms, ensuring the 'reality effect' of the scene is grounded in accurate perspective and figure placement (Source 4).
underpainting
Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil (Source 1). This layer establishes the values and forms without the distraction of color. The goal is to 'mentally extract the red and yellow colours' and translate what would be left in nature if these colors were absent, focusing on the structural integrity of the scene (Source 1). Allow this layer to dry completely before proceeding.
color palette
Ultramarine
Pure ultramarine blue
Underpainting shadows and cool tones
Black
Ivory black or lamp black
Underpainting darks and defining forms
White
Lead white or zinc white
Underpainting highlights and mid-tones
Red Ochre/Vermilion
Transparent reds
Glazing warm tones over the dried grisaille
Yellow Ochre
Transparent yellows
Glazing warm tones and flesh highlights
composition
The composition likely employs a balanced arrangement of figures and objects to guide the viewer’s eye through the narrative, consistent with the principles of visual ordering where elements relate to the whole (Source 3). As a genre painting, it avoids the static nature of portraiture, instead capturing a moment of action or interaction that implies a story (Source 8). The spatial organization should emphasize the 'reality effect' typical of 19th-century genre scenes, where the setting and figures are arranged to suggest a slice of everyday life with underlying social commentary (Source 4, Source 6).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the composition on the prepared surface, focusing on the accurate placement of figures and objects to convey the narrative.
Tip — Ensure proportions are correct, as Makovsky was known for his technical precision.
Academic drawing
underpainting
step 02
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia or linseed oil to create a grisaille. Paint the entire scene in monochrome, establishing all values and forms.
Tip — Mentally exclude red and yellow hues, focusing on the structural values as if these colors were not present in nature (Source 1).
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Begin glazing with transparent red and yellow tones mixed with oil.
Tip — Apply thin, transparent layers of color, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 1).
Glazing
refining
step 04
As mastery increases, mix varnish with oil to create more fluid glazes. Continue building up color in layers, allowing each to dry.
Tip — This method was practiced by old masters and helps achieve depth and luminosity (Source 1).
Varnish glazing
finishing
step 05
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) over darker grounds to create cold tones or grey blooms if needed, particularly for shadows or atmospheric effects.
Tip — Scumbling allows the underlying painting to show through, adding complexity to the surface (Source 1).
Scumbling
varnishing
step 06
Once the painting is fully dry, apply a final varnish to protect the surface and unify the glazes.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry to avoid yellowing or cracking.
Final varnishing
critical techniques
Glazing
Applying transparent coats of color over a dried monochrome underpainting to build up luminosity and depth. This technique is described as 'tinting an engraving with watercolors' and was used by old masters (Source 1).
Scumbling
Using semi-opaque paint over darker grounds to create cold tones or grey blooms, allowing the underlying layer to influence the final appearance (Source 1).
Grisaille
Creating a monochrome underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values and forms before adding color (Source 1).
common pitfalls
- →Applying color before the grisaille is completely dry, which can muddy the underpainting and ruin the glazing effect (Source 1).
- →Using opaque colors in the glazing stage, which defeats the purpose of transparency and luminosity (Source 1).
- →Neglecting the 'reality effect' in genre painting, leading to a scene that feels staged rather than a natural snapshot of life (Source 4).
- →Over-modeling or being too tied to the outline, which can make the painting appear stiff; copying works like Reynolds’s 'Portraits of Two Gentlemen' can help correct this (Source 2).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific details of the composition of 'The First Coat' (e.g., exact figures, objects, room layout) are not described in the provided sources, so the guide relies on general genre painting principles.
- ·Makovsky’s specific palette for this painting is not documented in the sources; the guide assumes a standard academic palette based on the glazing technique described.
- ·The exact medium Makovsky used for this specific work is not stated; the guide suggests oil of copavia or linseed oil based on historical practice (Source 1).
- ·No information is provided on Makovsky’s specific brushwork or texture preferences for this piece.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Correcting compositional weaknesses and avoiding over-modeling
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 1 — applied to General compositional principles
Wikipedia: Dutch Golden Age painting↗
- Dutch Golden Age painting — part 11 — applied to Genre painting characteristics and 'reality effect'
Wikipedia: Genre painting↗
- Genre painting — part 4 — applied to 19th-century genre painting trends and narrative focus
Wikipedia bio — Vladimir Makovsky↗
- Vladimir Makovsky — part 1 — applied to Artist’s background, style evolution, and academic training
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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