plate no. 2072

A young girl with a basket of flowers

oil, canvasAcademicismportraitfigureportraitflowershairdressbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering skin tones and soft lighting, as well as capturing the delicate details of flowers.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the figure, flowers, and background.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber.
step 03
Block in the main color areas for the skin, hair, dress, and background.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to subtle shifts in value and color.
step 05
Develop the details of the hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture and highlights.
step 06
Paint the flowers, focusing on capturing their delicate forms and colors.
step 07
Refine the background, adding depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · alizarin crimson

secondary · ultramarine blue · sap green · raw umber

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of alizarin crimson; use burnt sienna and raw umber for shadows. Mix white with small amounts of alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue for the pinkish tones of the flowers.

techniques