plate no. 4585
Women carrying eggs (Extant part of the Painting)
some experience helpful
This painting is a good exercise in simplifying forms and creating a focal point with strong contrast. Students can practice layering and blending to create depth in the figure and background.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Prepare the cardboard surface with a gesso layer.
- step 02
Sketch the basic shapes of the figure, cake, and eggs.
- step 03
Block in the background with a solid layer of black paint.
- step 04
Apply a base layer of white to the figure's dress and veil.
- step 05
Add shadows and highlights to the dress and veil using gray and off-white tones.
- step 06
Paint the cake with brown and add white icing details.
- step 07
Paint the eggs with red and add highlights.
- step 08
Add the flowers and leaves in the foreground using red and green.
color palette
primary · black · white · red · brown
secondary · green · gray
Mix various shades of gray by combining black and white. Create depth in the red eggs by adding small amounts of brown or black to the red.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·layering
- ·dry brushing
- ·simplified shading
common pitfalls
- →Over-blending, which can flatten the image.
- →Using too many colors, which can make the painting look muddy.
- →Ignoring the importance of value contrast.
- →Getting bogged down in details too early.
materials
surface · Cardboard
required
- ·Oil paints (black, white, red, brown, green)
- ·Cardboard or canvas panel
- ·Gesso
- ·Assorted brushes (flat and round)
- ·Palette
- ·Palette knife
- ·Odorless mineral spirits
- ·Linseed oil
optional
- ·Retarder medium
- ·Varnish
Applying a layer of gesso to the cardboard will help the paint adhere better and prevent it from soaking into the surface.
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