plate no. 5463
Alice Massey
Frederick Varley, 1925
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating depth through subtle value changes. It also provides practice in capturing fabric folds and textures with expressive brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the figure, shawl, and background, focusing on proportions and composition.
- step 02
Block in the background with broad strokes, establishing the gradient from blue to green.
- step 03
Establish the main values of the skin tones, using a limited palette of warm and cool colors.
- step 04
Paint the dress and shawl, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
- step 05
Add details to the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Refine the edges and contours of the figure, blending where necessary.
- step 07
Add the floral details to the shawl.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · burnt sienna · titanium white
secondary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre · black
Mix skin tones by blending burnt sienna, white, and small amounts of alizarin crimson and yellow ochre. Achieve the background gradient by gradually mixing blue and green with white.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·color mixing
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
- ·expressive brushstrokes
common pitfalls
- →Overblending skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Failing to capture the subtle value changes in the background.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Making the brushstrokes too uniform and losing the expressive quality.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·viridian green oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium like linseed oil to improve the flow of the paint.
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