plate no. 1705
Young wife keeping apples
Istvan Nagy, 1934
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice portraiture basics, including proportion and skin tone mixing, as well as layering colors to create depth and form.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the overall composition, focusing on the figure's proportions and placement on the canvas.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: background, skin, headscarf, dress, and apples.
- step 03
Start refining the skin tones, using layers of color to create highlights and shadows.
- step 04
Develop the details of the headscarf, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
- step 05
Add details to the dress, including the stripes and buttons.
- step 06
Paint the apples and the plate, focusing on their roundness and highlights.
- step 07
Refine the background, adding subtle variations in tone.
- step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white · ultramarine blue
secondary · cadmium red · raw sienna · black
Mix skin tones using yellow ochre, burnt umber, and white, adding small amounts of red or blue to adjust the temperature. Create the headscarf color by mixing yellow ochre with a touch of burnt umber.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
- →Over-blending the skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Not paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
- →Ignoring the importance of the background in creating depth.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·Acrylic or oil paints
- ·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·Palette
- ·Palette knife
- ·Odorless mineral spirits (if using oil paints)
- ·Linseed oil (if using oil paints)
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
- ·apron
Use a limited palette to simplify color mixing. Consider using a toned canvas to establish a base value.
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