plate no. 0355
The school of painting
Giacomo Favretto, 1871
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting figures in a muted, atmospheric setting and understanding how to suggest detail with loose brushwork. It's also a good exercise in capturing the feeling of a specific environment.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 7 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures and easels.
- step 02
Block in the large shapes of color, starting with the background and then the figures.
- step 03
Establish the light and shadow patterns, paying attention to the overall value structure.
- step 04
Develop the details of the figures, such as the clothing and hair, using loose brushstrokes.
- step 05
Add highlights to the model and the artists to create depth.
- step 06
Refine the background details, such as the paintings and easels, using subtle color variations.
- step 07
Add final touches and adjust values as needed to create a cohesive and atmospheric painting.
color palette
primary · raw umber · ivory black · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna
Achieve the muted tones by mixing raw umber and ivory black with varying amounts of titanium white. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna sparingly to add warmth to the skin tones and background.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
- ·tonal painting
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly quality.
- →Creating too much contrast and losing the atmospheric effect.
- →Failing to establish a clear value structure.
- →Not capturing the correct proportions of the figures.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·linseed oil
- ·round brushes
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a limited palette to achieve the muted tones of the painting. Consider using a toned canvas to create a more unified color scheme.
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