plate no. 4135
Young boy
George Pemba, 1957
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones with watercolor washes. It also provides practice in painting fabric patterns and creating a sense of depth through layering and value control.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the boy's figure and the background.
- step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted yellow and brown to the background, allowing it to dry completely.
- step 03
Begin layering washes to establish the skin tones, using a mix of blues, reds, and browns. Build up the darker values gradually.
- step 04
Paint the yellow dress, using a slightly darker shade for the shadows.
- step 05
Carefully paint the plaid shirt, paying attention to the pattern and color variations. Use a fine brush for the details.
- step 06
Add the blue suspenders and refine the details of the hands and face.
- step 07
Create the shadows on the wall to ground the figure.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · yellow ochre
secondary · raw umber · payne's gray · titanium white
Mix burnt sienna and ultramarine blue for the darker skin tones. Use cadmium red and yellow ochre for the plaid shirt. Add white to lighten the colors as needed.
techniques
- ·watercolor washes
- ·layering
- ·dry brush
- ·color mixing
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the washes and creating muddy colors.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Making the plaid pattern too uniform and flat.
- →Not paying attention to the value contrasts.
- →Using too much water and losing control of the paint.
materials
surface · watercolor paper 140lb
required
- ·watercolor paints
- ·watercolor brushes (round and flat)
- ·watercolor paper (140lb)
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·pencil
- ·eraser
optional
- ·masking fluid
- ·palette knife
- ·spray bottle
Use high-quality watercolor paints for best results. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve various effects.
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