Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (Russian, 1839–1915), Russian

After: Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (Russian, 1839–1915), Russian Beauty and Cat, 1865
Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (Russian, 1839–1915),
Russian Beauty and Cat, 1865
oil on canvas, 45¼ x 36½ in., 115.6 x 92.7 cmJoslyn Art Museum, Omaha
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Martin, 1954.172
Best known as a painter of peasant scenes and founding member of the revolutionary movement known
as the “Wanderers,” Makovsky established himself early on as a champion of Russian subject matter.
Entering the Imperial Academy in St. Petersburg — the only avenue for aspiring artists in the tightly
controlled Czarist state — in 1858, Makovsky took an active part in an unprecedented rebellion against
the authorities in 1863 and, with thirteen other students, formed the Artel’ Khudozhnikov, an
independent artists’ cooperative. The Artel’ advocated freedom from Academic rules and subject matter
and saw themselves as part of a new moral and rational order.
Russian Beauty and Cat perfectly embodies the modified realism and dawning nationalism of midcentury Russian artists. A carefully painted Tartar woman leans out an ornately carved window frame.
The elaborate jewelry of her adornments contrasts with the softness of her face and bare shoulders —
slightly sensual note accentuated by the contented, purring cat that she strokes.
On the original piece, you can see evidence of pentimento. A pentimento (plural pentimenti) is an
alteration in a painting, evidenced by traces of previous work, showing that the artist has changed his or
her mind as to the composition during the process of painting. The word is Italian for repentance, from
the verb pentirsi, meaning to repent.
Tatar, also spelled Tartar, any member of several Turkic-speaking peoples that collectively numbered
more than 5 million in the late 20th century and lived mainly in west-central Russia along the central
course of the Volga River and its tributary, the Kama, and thence east to the Ural Mountains. The Tatars
are also settled in Kazakhstan and, to a lesser extent, in western Siberia.
1
Kingslan & Gibilisco Publications © 2014
Permission is granted to teach this project within a 100 mile radius of teacher’s home studio. Written permission is required beyond this point.
Permission is granted to reproduce written material verbatim for teaching purposes only (one copy per student) and may not be resold, nor
may it be rewritten into a different format.
After: Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (Russian, 1839–1915), Russian Beauty and Cat, 1865
Surface
Portrait grade 20 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.
TW:
Titanium White
Y:
Genesis Yellow
R:
Genesis Red
O:
Orange or mix R + Y
QC:
Quinacridone Crimson
UB:
Ultramarine Blue
RS:
Raw Sienna
BU:
Burnt Umber
RU:
Raw Umber or BU + Blk
BS:
Burnt Sienna (optional) or BU + R
Blk:
Mars or Carbon Black
PB:
Phthalo Blue 01
PG:
Phthalo Green
Optional Grays: Values of Gray 02-08
Optional Flesh Values: 02-08
______________________________________________________________________________
Conversion Chart
Abbreviation
W
Y
R
QC or RV
UB
BU
RS
Blk
PB
NY
OG
BC or PM
PG
Archival
Soft Titanium White
Cadmium Yellow Mid
Cadmium Scarlet
Permanent Alizarine
Ultramarine Blue
Burnt Umber + R
Raw Sienna
Mars Black
Cerulean Blue
Naples Yellow
Olive Green
Purple Madder Alizarin
Pthalo Yellow Green
Winsor & Newton
Titanium White
Cadmium Yellow Pale
Bright Red
Alizarin Crimson
Ultramarine Blue
Burnt Umber
Raw Sienna
Ivory Black
Cerulean Blue
Naples Yellow
Olive Green
Purple Madder
Cadmium Green Pale
Genesis
White
Genesis Yellow
Genesis Red
Quinacridone Crimson
Ultramarine Blue
Burnt Umber
Raw Sienna
Carbon Black
Pthalo Blue
RS + TW + Y
RS + UB + BU
RV or QC + Blk
UB + Y + W
2
Kingslan & Gibilisco Publications © 2014
Permission is granted to teach this project within a 100 mile radius of teacher’s home studio. Written permission is required beyond this point.
Permission is granted to reproduce written material verbatim for teaching purposes only (one copy per student) and may not be resold, nor
may it be rewritten into a different format.
After: Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (Russian, 1839–1915), Russian Beauty and Cat, 1865
Stage One: Sepia/Bistre Underpainting
Review sepia underpainting photo as this is your best reference. It will help train your eye. Start with a
white, primed portrait grade canvas. Thin a mixture of BU + a small amount of Black or Raw Umber with
Mona Lisa Paint Thinner. Use a large Sabletek round brush. 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. Leave white sections the white of the canvas. 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.
•
•
•
•
•
Wash the red sections with R
Wash the flesh tones with TW + R + Y + RS
Wash the blue sections with PB01
Wash the black sections with Blk
Wash the gold/brown sections with RS
Stage Three: Impasto Application of Paint
All Flesh Tones
Medium:
Light:
High Light:
Dark:
Low Dark:
Genesis Flesh 07 or TW + RS + R
Genesis Flesh 08 or Medium + TW + R
Light + TW + Y
Genesis Flesh 06 or Medium + BU (add R if dull)
Genesis Flesh 05 or Dark + BU
Facial Features
When Flesh application is dry, transfer the features onto the painting
Eyes







Place the iris of the eye with RS + UB. With Blk add the pupil. The eye is a translucent ball
therefore light passes through the eye. With TW + a dot a Y, add a high light in the upper right of
the eye. Slightly in from the outside edge, add a light glow in the lower left of the eye.
Add the sclera (white section of the eye) using light gray with light flesh tones. The white of the
eyes are not really all that white but a bluish gray. Into the wet paint, darken the corners of the
sclera with Blk.
Add tear ducts in the inside corners with TW + R + RS.
Add the line of lashes with BU + Blk. Extend slightly beyond the lid. Avoid the temptation to add
individual lashes.
Add the lower lid ledge with light flesh.
Around the eye, strengthen all dark sections with the original mixes used.
Add eyebrow with BU + Blk. The darkest section of the eyebrow is over the iris. Let it fade as it
curves around the outside of the facial plane.
3
Kingslan & Gibilisco Publications © 2014
Permission is granted to teach this project within a 100 mile radius of teacher’s home studio. Written permission is required beyond this point.
Permission is granted to reproduce written material verbatim for teaching purposes only (one copy per student) and may not be resold, nor
may it be rewritten into a different format.
After: Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (Russian, 1839–1915), Russian Beauty and Cat, 1865
Nose



Strengthen the nostrils with BS or BU + R.
Add TW + Y highlight on the right side of the length of the nose. This should be off center.
Add the shadows under the nose with Dark Flesh tones.
Mouth




Place mouth using R.
Add WW highlight on the lower lip.
Darken top lip and division between using QC.
Darken corners of mouth QC, QC + UB and the Dark Flesh tones.
Hair
Base in the hair with BU + Blk. Shade with Blk. Add light value with RS + TW.
Headpiece
Referencing the close up face photo, add BU in dark areas, Orange in areas that appear Orange and and
TW + Y in the light areas. Add Blue Tint (TW + PB) in the reflected light area on right. Keep various colors
isolated from one another to give the metallic glow to the headpiece.
Shirt
Referencing the close up photo, base the lightest sections with TW + a small amount of Orange. Shade
with Gray (TW + Blk – a value 07) Add reflected light using Orange and Red. Darken right sleeve with TW
+ Blk + BU.
Dress and Red Section Drapery
Referencing the close up photo, base the red sections with R + a small amount of BU. Shade with R + QC.
Add light section with Orange.
Golden Section Drapery
Referencing the close up photo, base the golden sections with RS + a small amount of Orange. Shade
with BU. Add light section with Orange + TW.
Cat
Referencing the close up photo, base the dark section with Blk+ BU. Add a highlight section with Blue
Tint. Base in White sections with TW + Blk + RS. Shade with BU. Add eyes with Blk. Nose and inside of
ears base with R + RS. Highlight with Warm White (TW + Y). Shade with R + BU.
4
Kingslan & Gibilisco Publications © 2014
Permission is granted to teach this project within a 100 mile radius of teacher’s home studio. Written permission is required beyond this point.
Permission is granted to reproduce written material verbatim for teaching purposes only (one copy per student) and may not be resold, nor
may it be rewritten into a different format.
After: Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (Russian, 1839–1915), Russian Beauty and Cat, 1865
Wooden Sections
Add the mid value areas with BU + RS + TW. Add the light sections with RS + TW. Shade with BU + Blk.
Add graining using both the dark and light values.
Background
Paint behind the figure with Blk + BU.
Stage Four: Details
Pearls, Earrings, Ring on Finger and Buttons on Dress
Base each pearl with TW + Blk. Using a crescent shape, shade the right side with Blk. Add a Warm White
highlight in the upper left of each pearl. Add reflected color and light using Blue Tint and Orange Tint.
Add jewel tones with QC (Ruby) and PB (Sapphire). Highlight each with Blue Tint. Add earrings, ring and
buttons with Y. Highlight with Warm White and shade with BU + R. Add jewel to ring with PG. Highlight
with Warm White.
Hair Ribbon
Referencing the close up photo, base the red sections with R + a small amount of BU. Shade with R + QC.
Add light section with Orange.
Cat
Add whiskers with Blue Tint. Reinforce markings with basecoat colors. Add highlight to nose with Warm
White.
Insert Painting on Wood and Shadows
Base the red sections with R + a small amount of BU. Shade with R + QC. Add light section with Orange.
Base the blue sections with PB + a small amount of TW. Shade with Blk. Add light section with Blue Tint.
Add shadows from the drapery, arm and cat onto the wood with Blk + BU.
Flesh Tones
Add blush tone where the dark meets the light value. Load a brush with R and wipe the vast majority of
the paint out of the brush. Using the residue, dry brush on this blush tone. Reinforce darks and add
shadows with a glaze of BU + R. Strengthen light sections with Warm White.
Background
Repaint background if necessary. Glaze the upper right and left sections of the drapery and wood.
Varnish
Varnish with a gloss water based varnish. This will protect the painting and bring up the colors.
5
Kingslan & Gibilisco Publications © 2014
Permission is granted to teach this project within a 100 mile radius of teacher’s home studio. Written permission is required beyond this point.
Permission is granted to reproduce written material verbatim for teaching purposes only (one copy per student) and may not be resold, nor
may it be rewritten into a different format.
aa
Value Scale Notes
King slan & Gibilisco Decorative Arts
Value Sca le Pad
$4 .95
1111111111111111111
714
Title of Painting:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P~ rm1 -.'>1tl11 if:t nt ~l lt' photocopy lh1s chart 1 ~ .,
ri.:r'>l'n:il '"'h's
ntMi
Value
1Fld1
M
Dr~>/
~[L,l,41
Dr"'
bY~
Woo4
High Light
Light
Low Light
"""-...,.
I his j.; the Va lue o f Ob ject
C e n t•ra ll y, Mh I his Va lue rirs l
Medium
High Dark
Dark
Low Dark
Accents &
Tints
..