plate no. 9543

Titi and Naranghe, Daughters of Chief Eki Bondo

Alexandre Jacovleff, 1926

oilExpressionismgenre paintingfiguresvillagearchitecturelandscapefoliageportrait

some experience helpful

This painting offers a good opportunity to practice portraiture and rendering skin tones in a limited palette. Students can also learn about creating depth through atmospheric perspective in the background.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main figures and the basic layout of the village scene.
step 02
Establish the background sky and distant trees using thin washes of color.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the huts and the ground, focusing on the overall color harmony.
step 04
Begin layering the skin tones of the figures, starting with the darkest shadows and gradually adding highlights.
step 05
Add details to the clothing and accessories, paying attention to the textures and patterns.
step 06
Refine the details of the faces, focusing on capturing the likeness and expression.
step 07
Add the decorative elements on the left side of the painting.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ivory black

secondary · titanium white · cadmium red light

Mix burnt umber and ivory black for the dark skin tones, adding raw sienna and titanium white for highlights. Use cadmium red light sparingly for accents in the background and decorative elements.

techniques