plate no. 8737
Woman and Baby Wearing Green Gloves
Joshua Johnson, 1810
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and rendering fabric textures. It also provides an opportunity to study simplified forms and naive art styles.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and background.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin tones, clothing, background.
- step 03
Refine the skin tones with subtle variations in color and value.
- step 04
Add details to the clothing, such as the lace and ribbon.
- step 05
Paint the green gloves, paying attention to the highlights and shadows.
- step 06
Develop the background landscape with simple shapes and colors.
- step 07
Add final details, such as the jewelry and facial features.
- step 08
Glaze to unify the painting and adjust values.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium red
secondary · viridian green · ivory black
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red. Create greens by mixing yellow and blue, adjusting the proportions for different shades.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·color mixing
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·rendering fabric
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones
- →Getting the proportions wrong
- →Making the colors too saturated
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in value
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes
- ·flat brushes
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil (if using oils)
- ·mineral spirits (if using oils)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Acrylics will dry faster, while oils allow for more blending time.
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