plate no. 8245

The offering

Andre Derain, 1913

oil, canvasExpressionismportraitfigureportraitfruitplatedraperystill life

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to simplify forms and use a limited color palette to create a mood. Students will also practice creating depth using value and color temperature changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the figure, plate, and fruit, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the background with dark, muted tones, establishing the overall value structure.
step 03
Apply a base layer of color to the figure's skin, hair, and clothing, focusing on the general color temperature.
step 04
Add shadows and highlights to the face and figure, simplifying the forms into planes of light and dark.
step 05
Paint the fruit on the plate, using a limited palette of warm colors and paying attention to the highlights and shadows.
step 06
Refine the details of the plate and the drapery in the background.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a cohesive and harmonious composition.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · Prussian Blue · Burnt Umber · Yellow Ochre

secondary · Cadmium Red · Titanium White · Sap Green

Mix the skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of cadmium red. Create the blues by mixing prussian blue with white, and adjusting with a touch of umber to mute it.

techniques

·Blocking in
·Simplifying forms
·Limited palette
·Value painting
·Color temperature

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the simplified forms.
→Using too many colors and creating a muddy or chaotic effect.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure and creating a flat or uninteresting painting.
→Not paying attention to the proportions of the figure and creating an unrealistic or distorted image.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (Prussian Blue, Burnt Umber, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Titanium White, Sap Green)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (flat and round)
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Palette knife