plate no. 1749

Two sisters

Tsuguharu Foujita, 1959

oilMagic Realismportraitfigureschildrenvinebuildingdogportrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering figures with subtle shading and creating depth through layering and atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in depicting fabric folds and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light pencil sketch outlining the main figures, building, and vine structure.
step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted raw sienna or yellow ochre to the entire canvas as a base tone.
step 03
Begin layering in the skin tones, starting with light washes and gradually building up the shadows.
step 04
Paint the clothing, focusing on capturing the folds and drapery with varying shades of browns, yellows, and grays.
step 05
Add details to the background building, using a fine brush to create the architectural elements.
step 06
Paint the vine and grapes, using a mix of greens, yellows, and purples to create depth and texture.
step 07
Add the dog, paying attention to its fur texture and form.
step 08
Refine the details and add final highlights and shadows to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · raw sienna · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson · sap green

Achieve skin tones by mixing raw sienna, yellow ochre, and a touch of alizarin crimson with white. Create shadows by adding burnt umber and ultramarine blue to the skin tone mix. Mix greens for the vines by blending yellow ochre and ultramarine blue.

techniques