plate no. 1455
Three Nudes
Bela Kadar, 1916
some experience helpful
This painting is great for learning about simplified form and color mixing for skin tones. Recreating it will help students understand how to use bold brushstrokes to define shapes and create texture.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and placement of the figures and background elements.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
- step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, mixing variations of warm and cool colors.
- step 04
Add details to the figures, such as facial features and muscle definition, using simplified forms.
- step 05
Develop the background foliage and tree shapes with bold brushstrokes.
- step 06
Adjust the values and colors to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form.
- step 08
Step back and make any necessary adjustments to the composition and color balance.
color palette
primary · burnt sienna · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red
secondary · ultramarine blue · sap green · yellow ochre
Mix skin tones by blending burnt sienna, raw umber, and titanium white, adding small amounts of cadmium red for warmth and ultramarine blue for cool shadows. Use yellow ochre and sap green to create the foliage.
techniques
- ·color mixing
- ·blocking in
- ·simplified forms
- ·impasto
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the expressive brushstrokes.
- →Getting the skin tones muddy by overmixing colors.
- →Failing to simplify the forms and creating overly realistic figures.
- →Ignoring the value structure and creating a flat, lifeless painting.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (#4, #8)
- ·flat brushes (#6, #10)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·mineral spirits or turpentine (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·painting medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·easel
- ·apron
Use a canvas with a medium texture to enhance the brushstrokes. Acrylics are a good option for beginners due to their fast drying time.
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