plate no. 0543
Woman Eating a Bannana
Fernando Botero, 1982
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture with exaggerated forms and practice blending smooth skin tones. It also provides an opportunity to study still life elements and color relationships.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and objects.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, dress, background, and table.
- step 03
Begin blending the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and shadow.
- step 04
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 05
Paint the dress, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
- step 06
Paint the still life elements on the table, paying attention to their shapes and colors.
- step 07
Refine the details and add any final touches.
- step 08
Add the red bow and the red line on the dress.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ivory black · cadmium red
secondary · sap green · titanium white
Mix yellow ochre and burnt umber for the skin tones, adding white for highlights and a touch of red for the cheeks. Use ivory black and burnt umber for the dress, and cadmium red for the bow and line.
techniques
- ·blending
- ·color mixing
- ·layering
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones and losing the subtle variations in color.
- →Not paying attention to the proportions of the figure and objects.
- →Making the colors too saturated or bright.
- →Ignoring the subtle shadows and highlights that create form.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·Acrylic or oil paints
- ·Round brushes (various sizes)
- ·Flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·Palette
- ·Palette knife
- ·Odorless mineral spirits or acrylic medium
- ·Linseed oil (if using oil paints)
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·retarder
Use high-quality paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will make blending easier.
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