plate no. 5409

Two Little Friends

Tsuguharu Foujita, 1918

oilExpressionismportraitfiguresportraitschildrenclothingcushionhair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing subtle expressions and rendering delicate skin tones, as well as practicing controlled washes and layering to achieve soft, muted colors.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and the cushion.
step 02
Apply a thin, diluted wash of neutral color (e.g., raw umber) to the entire background.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones with light washes of color, paying attention to subtle variations in value.
step 04
Paint the clothing with diluted washes of blue and white, building up layers to create depth and shadows.
step 05
Carefully paint the hair with black, using thin, controlled strokes to define the strands.
step 06
Add details to the faces, such as the eyes, noses, and mouths, using fine brushes and diluted colors.
step 07
Paint the pattern on the cushion with a small brush, using a limited palette of red and white.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to the figures and the background.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · cerulean blue

secondary · raw umber · burnt sienna · cadmium red light

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white with small amounts of raw umber and cadmium red light. Create the blue clothing by mixing white with cerulean blue and a touch of black for shadows.

techniques

·glazing
·dry brushing
·controlled washes
·portraiture
·color layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy or unnatural appearance.
→Making the colors too saturated or vibrant, losing the delicate, muted quality of the original.
→Failing to capture the subtle expressions of the figures.
→Inaccurate proportions of the figures.