A cartouche surrounded by garlands of roses, thistle, holly and other flowers and butterflies with a later portrait of a gentleman, seated, bust-length, in a black cloak with a lace collar

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · crimson · yellow ochre · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · sap green · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · cadmium orange

Achieve the various shades of pink and red by mixing crimson and white, adjusting with small amounts of yellow ochre or orange. Create the dark background by mixing ivory black with burnt umber and a touch of ultramarine blue.

techniques

• ·glazing
• ·scumbling
• ·layering
• ·chiaroscuro
• ·dry brushing

common pitfalls

• →Overworking the details too early in the process.
• →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
• →Inaccurate color mixing leading to muddy or unrealistic colors.
• →Ignoring the subtle variations in light and shadow.