plate no. 3963
Two Men Sitting with a Table, or the Smokers
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing mood through a limited palette and loose brushwork. It also provides practice in depicting figures in a dimly lit environment.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures and the table.
- step 02
Establish the background with broad strokes of dark browns and grays.
- step 03
Block in the figures' forms, paying attention to the light and shadow patterns.
- step 04
Add details to the faces, hands, and clothing, using thicker paint and visible brushstrokes.
- step 05
Paint the table and objects, focusing on their shapes and reflections.
- step 06
Refine the overall composition, adjusting values and adding highlights.
- step 07
Add the smoke effect with light, wispy strokes.
- step 08
Let dry and apply a varnish for protection.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw umber · titanium white
secondary · ivory black · cadmium yellow hue · alizarin crimson
Achieve the muted tones by mixing umbers with white and small amounts of black. Add touches of yellow and crimson for warmth in the highlights and shadows.
techniques
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·alla prima
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·limited palette
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive brushwork.
- →Creating too much contrast, resulting in a harsh, unnatural look.
- →Failing to capture the subtle gradations of light and shadow.
- →Not establishing a strong focal point.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·#4 round brush
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushwork. Consider using a toned canvas to speed up the painting process.
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