The Siesta (Original)
The Siesta (pictured here) was Van Gogh’s emulation of a painting by Millet.
I was drawn to this painting for the composition of complimentary colors; cool blue tones in the foreground and background sandwich a warm and golden middle ground.
The Siesta (Reproduction)
I began with a warm flat wash, to imitate the color of Van Gogh’s canvas. This warm layer helped to unify subsequent layers, and boosted vibrancy of the golden middle ground.
It took several attempts to match brush strokes, which was manageable in the background, but required increasing precision when moving to the foreground. Though Van Gogh worked quickly, I believe he took great care in ensuring neatness and regularity to his final highlights — something I find somewhat lacking in my reproduction.