plate no. 4056

Two Girls in Front of Birch Trees

Paula Modersohn-Becker, 1905

oil, cardboardExpressionismportraitfiguresportraittreesforestchildren

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating texture with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying forms and capturing the essence of a subject.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and the trees using light pencil lines.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color for the background, figures, and clothing using thin washes.
step 03
Start building up the skin tones by layering different shades of pink, brown, and yellow.
step 04
Define the features of the faces, paying attention to the shapes of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Add details to the clothing and hair, using thicker paint and visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Paint the trees in the background with vertical strokes of varying colors.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting colors and values as needed.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · viridian green

Mix skin tones by combining white, red, and a touch of yellow ochre and burnt umber. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create the darker tones for the trees and clothing. Add white to these mixtures to create lighter shades.

techniques