plate no. 2093

Two monks

oil, cardboardRealismgenre paintingfigureslandscapemonkshillsskydonkey

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in value studies and rendering figures in a landscape setting. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figures and landscape.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using a limited palette of earth tones.
step 03
Develop the sky and background, focusing on creating a sense of atmospheric perspective.
step 04
Refine the figures, paying attention to the folds of their robes and the details of their faces.
step 05
Add details to the rocks and foreground, using dry brush techniques to create texture.
step 06
Adjust the values and colors as needed to create a harmonious and unified painting.
step 07
Add final highlights and details to enhance the sense of realism.
step 08
Let dry and varnish.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Achieve the various browns and earth tones by mixing burnt umber and raw sienna with varying amounts of white. Use yellow ochre to warm up the browns and ivory black to cool them down.

techniques