After Bouguereau: The Knitter www.kingslan.com painting@kingslan.com
The Knitter Surface Portrait grade 18 x 24 portrait grade canvas. Transfer Information Transfer the design to the surface with gray graphite. Palette Set up and mixing The original piece was painted with Genesis Heat Set Oils. There is a conversion chart included if you care to use traditional oils. BU: Burnt Umber BS: Burnt Sienna Blk: Mars or Carbon Black PB: Phthalo Blue 01 Optional Grays: Values of Gray 02-08 Mona Lisa Paint Thinner TW: Titanium White Y: Genesis Yellow R: Genesis Red O: Orange (or mix R + Y) QC: Quinacridone Crimson UB: Ultramarine Blue RS: Raw Sienna Mixing Formulas Formulae for mixing is given throughout this lesson. You will find that the mixes for the hue are given first. This is followed by a colour that will raise or lower the value. Once the value and colour are mixed, the next addition usually is meant to either brighten or dull the colour. Finally, a colour may need to be mixed into the pile that will adjust the temperature. Abbreviation Archival Winsor & Newton Genesis W Soft Titanium White Titanium White White Y Cadmium Yellow Mid Cadmium Yellow Pale Genesis Yellow R Cadmium Scarlet Bright Red Genesis Red QC or RV Permanent Alizarine Alizarin Crimson Quinacridone Crimson UB Ultramarine Blue Ultramarine Blue Ultramarine Blue BU Burnt Umber + R Burnt Umber Burnt Umber RS Raw Sienna Raw Sienna Raw Sienna Blk Mars Black Ivory Black Carbon Black PB Cerulean Blue Cerulean Blue Pthalo Blue NY Naples Yellow Naples Yellow RS + TW + Y OG Olive Green Olive Green RS + UB + BU BC or PM Purple Madder Alizarin Purple Madder RV or QC + Blk PG Pthalo Yellow Green Cadmium Green Pale UB + Y + W After Bouguereau: The Knitter (page 2)
Stage One Sepia/Bistre Underpainting Review sepia underpainting segment on the video as this is your best reference. It will help train your eye. Start with a white, primed canvas. Thin a mixture of BU + a small amount of Black or Raw Umber with Paint Thinner. It should be thin enough that you can draw on the canvas. Paint in the dark sections of the canvas. If a section becomes too dark, load a brush with Paint Thinner and scrub out the light sections. Wash the flesh sections in with a very light value. This is the lightest section of the entire piece. Darken the outside edges of the arms and each finger and palm. Add a dark value in the eye sockets, under the chin, and nostril opening. Add a darker value to define the cheek/nose area. The painting must be dry prior to moving to the next stage. Stage Two: Color Wash Wash each object with the colors listed. This is a transparent layer so as to begin to bring the objects to their local color. Thin each color with paint thinner so that the sepia underpainting glows through. Low Dk Wash the skirt with Blue (Cobalt, Phthalo or Ultramarine) Wash the flesh tones with Medium Flesh (see next page) Wash the door with a Dark Blue Gray Wash the backround with a Light Gray After Bouguereau: The Knitter (page 3)
Face, Hand and Feet Block in the face and handswith the flesh tones without blending as shown on the provided step-by-step photos.use a soft brush to create a smooth appearance. Block out the sepia tones underneath. Ignore details such as the eyes, mouth, nostrils, etc. Blend the values together slightly. While blending, keep the brush half on one value and half on the other value. Blend using virtually no pressure. Just melt the sections together. All sections will be reinforced when dry. Light Med Flesh Tones Medium: Light: High Light: Warm White: Dark: Low Dark: Reinforcing Dark: TW + R + Y + RS Medium + TW + Y Light + TW TW + Y Medium + RS + R Dark + BU + QC Burnt Sienna or BU + R Dark Face and Hands Stage One After Bouguereau: The Knitter (page 4)
Clothing Blue Skirt: Base in with PB + Light Gray + BU then add lights with Blue Tint. Shade with Black. Shirt: Base in the white shirts with TW + a small amount of PB. Base sleeve with same mix but darken with BU. Shade with Gray + QC. Add highlight of shirt basecoat to sleeve. Pinafore: Base in with RS then add lights with Light Gray. Shade with BU. After Bouguereau: The Knitter (page 5)
Background Mix a value scale of gray using Black + TW. Add dark shadow using the 4th darkest value. Add light value on the left side of the wall. Get gradually darker moving to the right side of the wall. Hair Base coat dark hair with BU + UB. Highlight with Blue Tint. Shade with Black. After Bouguereau: The Knitter (page 6)
Eyes Step-by-step 1. Base iris with RS + BU in an elliptical shape. Add pupil with black. Fill in the white of the eye with light gray.. 2. Add tear ducts with dark flesh. Add lash ledge with dark flesh leaving a space for the light ledge. Add light value on top of ledge section. 3. Add lash line with black. Shade both corners of the eyes with black. Add black around the outside of the iris.add highlight in upper right with light flesh. Add a pass through in the lower left using the same. Nose Step-by-step 1. Base nostril and shadows of the nose wing with dark flesh. 2. Place dark below the nose as a shadow and a slight shadow on the left side. 3. To create the underside of the nose, shade with medium flesh + R.. 4. Add highlight on nose with light flesh. 4. Add shading around eye with dark flesh including fold line. 5. Add brow with BU + Black. Add fold under eye with dark flesh. 6. Add cast shadow onto the eye from the lashes with a wash of Black. Mouth Step-by-step 1. Base lips with Medium + R. 2. Add a darker red (Medium + QC) to shade the lips. Add light to the bottom lip with Light flesh. 3. Add shadow under bottom lip with dark flesh to establish chin. Repaint hands, face and neck with flesh tones to make more solid following the initial placement. After Bouguereau: The Knitter (page 7)
Landscape Sky: Wash with PB + TW. Mountains: Farthest base with TW + Y. Add definition with QC + Mid Value Gray. Closer mountain add with Mid Value + QC + UB. Buildings: Sides are placed using Mountain Violet Color. Front of the Buldings are created with side color + TW. Add the roof with RS + R. Plants Base each leaf with medium value green from Green scale on left. Add shading across the back of each leaf. Add light value through the center of each leaf. Keep vague. Use RS, RS + BU to create variety. Add Blue Tint or Yellow Tint to create variety within the lights. Base the flowers with R + QC. Add light with Orange Tint pulling in toward the center. Darken center with QC + UB. Add an actual center with Y. Add stems with Dark Green. Front of Planter Add the planter with gray value scale - light on left side and darker on right. Foilage: Use Dark Cool Green then get gradually lighter with a Light Warm Green. Make both mixes with TW + UB + Y + Black. Create any value inbetween by adding TW and Y if necessary to brighten. Planter: Place top of the planter with Light Violet from Mountains. Add dirt in planter with BU + RS. Shade sides of planter with this color. After Bouguereau: The Knitter (page 8)
Final Stages Shirt and Pinafore Add WW, Blue Tint highlights to shirt. Strengthen dark sections with Gray values. Add gray highlights to pinafore and shade again with BU. Add red trim using R. Skirt Add WW, Blue Tint highlights to skirt. Strengthen dark sections with Black. Knitting and Hinge on Door Base with BU + R. Add highlights with RS + TW. Shade with BU + Black. Flesh Tones If the flesh tones are too pink or purple, glaze with RS or Orange. Add highlights back into the wet glaze. Strengthen darks using the dark values from the flesh tones. Add blush tones with R. Hair Repaint basecoat if necessary.add highlights with RS + TW and Blue Tint. Add headband with BU. After Bouguereau: The Knitter (page 9)
Final Stages Flesh Tones - Hands & Feet If the flesh tones are too pink or purple, glaze with RS or Orange. Add highlights back into the wet glaze. Strengthen darks using the dark values from the flesh tones. Add blush tones with R. Shadow Work Add BU + Black shadows to the lower right of figure and plants. Keep transparent. Needle Add needle with dark gray with a light gray highlight. Varnish Varnish with Final Coat Varnish over either oils or Genesis Heat Set oils. After Bouguereau: The Knitter (page 10)