plate no. 3499

Untitled Nu

Nuri Iyem, 1951

oil, canvasSocial Realismnude painting (nu)figurenudechairdoorinteriortowel

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure drawing, color mixing for skin tones, and creating texture with visible brushstrokes. It also encourages simplification of form and color.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, chair, and door.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of pinkish-brown paint.
step 03
Establish the floor color using a mix of orange, yellow, and brown.
step 04
Mix skin tones using white, grey, yellow ochre, and a touch of red, and apply to the figure.
step 05
Paint the chair and the blue cloth, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
step 06
Add details to the face, hair, and towel.
step 07
Refine the edges and add highlights to create depth.
step 08
Add final touches to the background and floor to unify the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red · ivory black · raw sienna

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red. The blue cloth is a mix of ultramarine blue and white, with touches of black for shadows.

techniques

·blocking in
·dry brushing
·color mixing
·simplified form rendering
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details of the figure.
→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
→Making the skin tones too flat or uniform.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the background and floor.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, ultramarine blue, cadmium red, ivory black, raw sienna)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (flat and round)
·rags