plate no. 7668
The Scream
Edvard Munch, 1893
some experience helpful
Students would develop skills in expressive brushwork and emotional color use, learning how to convey psychological intensity through distorted forms and dynamic linear movement.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition with the bridge perspective and figure placement
- step 02
Block in the sky with horizontal wavy strokes in oranges and reds
- step 03
Paint the water area with blues and add swirling motion lines
- step 04
Establish the bridge structure with linear perspective
- step 05
Paint the central figure with simplified skull-like features
- step 06
Add the two background figures on the left
- step 07
Create radiating lines from the figure outward
- step 08
Refine the swirling patterns in sky and water
color palette
primary · cadmium orange · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · yellow ochre
secondary · viridian green · cadmium red · raw umber · titanium white
Mix oranges with yellow ochre and cadmium red for the dramatic sky, use ultramarine with touches of violet for the deep water tones
techniques
- ·expressive brushstrokes
- ·linear perspective
- ·color symbolism
- ·simplified figure rendering
- ·rhythmic line work
common pitfalls
- →overworking the figure details
- →making the perspective too precise
- →using too realistic colors
- →losing the emotional impact through refinement
materials
surface · primed canvas board or stretched canvas
required
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·#10 flat brush
- ·#2 round brush
- ·cadmium orange tempera
- ·ultramarine blue tempera
- ·burnt sienna tempera
- ·yellow ochre tempera
- ·canvas board 16x20
optional
- ·palette knife for texture
- ·#0 detail brush
- ·matte varnish
- ·charcoal for initial sketch
Tempera paint dries quickly, so work in sections and keep paint moist on palette
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