plate no. 4980
Village
Boris Grigoriev, 1918
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and composition, focusing on the placement of the figure, house, and other elements.
- step 02
Establish the background colors, starting with the sky and then moving to the house and trees, using broad strokes.
- step 03
Block in the main color areas of the figure's face and clothing, paying attention to the planes of light and shadow.
- step 04
Add details to the house, such as windows and roof tiles, using a smaller brush.
- step 05
Define the foliage and trees with short, choppy brushstrokes, varying the colors to create depth.
- step 06
Paint the dog and other figures in the background, simplifying their forms into basic shapes.
- step 07
Refine the details of the figure's face, adding highlights and shadows to create a sense of volume.
- step 08
Add final touches and adjustments to the overall composition, ensuring that the colors and values are balanced.
color palette
primary · raw umber · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light · sap green
Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors. Use white to lighten values and create subtle variations in color temperature.
techniques
- ·planar analysis
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·color temperature variation
- ·geometric abstraction
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the simplified, geometric style.
- →Failing to create enough contrast between light and shadow.
- →Using colors that are too saturated and bright.
- →Not simplifying the forms enough, resulting in a cluttered composition.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-textured canvas to allow for better paint adhesion and brushstroke visibility. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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