plate no. 0110

Adela Carbone, La Tanagra

Julio Romero de Torres, 1911

oilSymbolismportraitportraitwomandressarchitecturegardenfigure

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and subtle skin tones, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective in the background.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the proportions of the figure and the placement of key elements in the background.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of color, paying attention to the atmospheric perspective and the relative darkness of the distant elements.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, starting with the dress and then moving on to the skin tones.
step 04
Develop the skin tones using a limited palette and subtle blending techniques.
step 05
Add details to the dress, including the decorative elements and the folds of the fabric.
step 06
Refine the background, adding details to the architecture and the figures in the distance.
step 07
Add the final highlights and shadows to the figure and the background, paying attention to the overall lighting of the scene.
step 08
Glaze the painting with a thin layer of medium to unify the colors and add depth.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use ultramarine blue and raw umber to create muted greens and grays for the background.

techniques

·portraiture
·atmospheric perspective
·glazing
·blending
·figure drawing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the figure.
→Ignoring the atmospheric perspective and creating a flat, unrealistic background.
→Getting lost in the details and losing sight of the overall composition.