plate no. 3503

Three girls on red background (composition with three women)

Fernand Leger, 1927

oilCubismportraitfigureswomenportraitflowerred background

some experience helpful

This painting is great for practicing simplified form representation and understanding how to create volume with a limited value range. Students will also develop skills in color mixing to achieve the specific red hue and subtle grayscale tones.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and placement of the figures and flower.
step 02
Block in the red background with a thin, even layer of paint.
step 03
Begin filling in the figures with white, focusing on the overall shapes.
step 04
Mix shades of gray by adding small amounts of black to white.
step 05
Use these grays to create shadows and highlights, defining the forms of the figures.
step 06
Carefully blend the edges of the shadows to create smooth transitions.
step 07
Paint the black hair and the details of the flower.
step 08
Add final touches and refine the shapes and values.

color palette

primary · red · white · black

secondary · gray

Achieve the red by mixing cadmium red with a touch of alizarin crimson. Create various shades of gray by gradually adding black to white, keeping track of your ratios for consistency.

techniques