plate no. 4572
The Venus That was Never Finished
John Duncan, 1920
some experience helpful
This painting provides practice in subtle color blending and creating soft, ethereal effects. Students can develop their skills in portraiture and depicting atmospheric perspective.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
2
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the figure's pose and the placement of the birds.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, sea, figure's skin, and hair.
- step 03
Begin blending the colors in the sky and sea, creating a soft, atmospheric effect.
- step 04
Develop the figure's skin tones, paying attention to subtle shifts in color and value.
- step 05
Add details to the hair, using thin layers of paint to create texture and depth.
- step 06
Paint the birds, using light, airy brushstrokes.
- step 07
Refine the details of the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create a sense of depth.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · raw umber · yellow ochre
secondary · alizarin crimson · viridian green
Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky, adding a touch of raw umber to soften the color. Mix ultramarine blue, viridian green, and white for the sea.
techniques
- ·soft blending
- ·glazing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·portraiture
- ·color layering
common pitfalls
- →Overblending, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Using too much paint, which can obscure the subtle color variations.
- →Ignoring the importance of value in creating form.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Harsh lines
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 filbert brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to create a more unified color scheme.
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