plate no. 9442

Worker

Kazimir Malevich, 1933

oil, canvasNeoclassicismportraitportraitfigureclothingheadscarftorsohands

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including proportion and capturing a likeness, as well as color mixing for skin tones and clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: black background, red vest, yellow skirt, and skin tones.
step 03
Begin refining the facial features, paying attention to the placement of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 04
Add details to the clothing, such as the stripes on the sleeves and collar, and the texture of the headscarf.
step 05
Develop the skin tones by layering different shades of pink, brown, and yellow.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the details of the hands, paying attention to the knuckles and fingernails.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve a cohesive and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · red · yellow · black · white

secondary · blue · brown · green

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of red. Achieve the red vest color by mixing a bright red with a touch of black for shading.

techniques

·blocking in
·layering
·blending
·hatching
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the figure.
→Overly smooth blending, resulting in a lack of texture.
→Inaccurate skin tones.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the clothing.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints: titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, ivory black
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Rags