plate no. 7304

A Portrait of Madame Cheng.

Xu Beihong, 1941

oilRealismportraitportraitfigurechairwindowinteriorclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting fabric and creating a sense of depth in an interior setting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Develop the details of the clothing, using darker values to create shadows and folds.
step 05
Paint the background elements, including the window and furniture, with less detail than the figure.
step 06
Add highlights to the face, hands, and clothing to create a sense of light and form.
step 07
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · viridian · cadmium red light

Mix various combinations of raw umber, burnt sienna, and white to achieve the skin tones. Use ivory black and raw umber for the dark clothing, adding small amounts of other colors to create subtle variations.

techniques