plate no. 7056

Two peasant girls selling fruit

watercolorRomanticismgenre paintingfiguresfruitbasketsclothingwallmarket

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering realistic figures and drapery, as well as creating depth through subtle color variations and atmospheric perspective. The painting also provides practice in depicting textures, such as woven baskets and stone walls.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the figures, baskets, and background elements.
step 02
Establish the base tones for the skin, clothing, and background using diluted washes.
step 03
Build up the darker values and shadows in the figures and drapery, paying attention to the folds and contours.
step 04
Add details to the faces, including eyes, nose, and mouth, using small, precise brushstrokes.
step 05
Render the fruit in the baskets, using a variety of colors and values to create a sense of volume.
step 06
Paint the background wall and ground, using subtle variations in color and texture to create depth.
step 07
Add the final details, such as the patterns on the clothing and the highlights on the fruit.
step 08
Refine the overall composition, adjusting values and colors as needed to create a harmonious and balanced image.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

secondary · alizarin crimson · raw sienna · titanium white

Mix browns and grays by combining burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and white. Use yellow ochre and raw sienna for the warm tones of the fruit and baskets. Add alizarin crimson for the red accents in the clothing.

techniques