plate no. 9378

The Sitting Room

Frank Auerbach, 1964

oil, boardExpressionismgenre paintinginteriorroomfurniturewindowpaintinglamp

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and color mixing to create a sense of depth and texture. It also encourages simplification of complex scenes into basic shapes and colors.

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 and composition, focusing on the major forms like the furniture and window.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the background and then moving to the foreground.
step 03
Use thick, expressive brushstrokes to apply the paint, varying the direction and pressure to create texture.
step 04
Mix colors directly on the canvas to achieve the desired hues and values.
step 05
Focus on capturing the overall impression of the scene rather than precise details.
step 06
Build up layers of paint, allowing some of the underlayers to show through.
step 07
Pay attention to the relationships between colors and values to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to emphasize the forms and create visual interest.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · ivory black

Achieve the various browns and ochres by mixing yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and white. Use small amounts of blue or black to darken the colors. Mix red and brown to create the rug color.

techniques