plate no. 1654
The Psychologist
Paul Feeley, 1935
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice value studies and understand how to create depth using a limited palette. It also provides an opportunity to improve figure drawing and composition skills.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
2
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 7 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and figures, focusing on proportions and placement.
- step 02
Establish the darkest and lightest areas to create a value map.
- step 03
Begin filling in the large areas with mid-tones, gradually building up darker and lighter values.
- step 04
Pay attention to the subtle shifts in value within each figure to create form.
- step 05
Refine the details of the faces and hands.
- step 06
Add the background elements, maintaining a consistent value range.
- step 07
Adjust the overall contrast and refine edges as needed.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white
secondary · ivory black
Achieve various shades by mixing raw umber with titanium white for lighter tones and adding small amounts of ivory black for darker tones. Use thin washes for initial layers and thicker paint for highlights.
techniques
- ·value study
- ·grisaille
- ·layering
- ·blending
- ·dry brushing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking details too early
- →Creating too much contrast too soon
- →Ignoring the overall value structure
- →Incorrect proportions of figures
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·round brushes
- ·flat brushes
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a toned canvas to help establish the mid-tones. Consider using a limited palette of raw umber and white to simplify the value study.
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