plate no. 7934
Ann
Prudence Heward, 1942
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating soft transitions between values. It's a good exercise in capturing likeness and creating a sense of depth through subtle shading.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and hair.
- step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas with a thin wash of color.
- step 03
Begin layering in skin tones, focusing on subtle value changes to create form.
- step 04
Mix and apply the colors for the hair, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
- step 05
Paint the dress, capturing its color and the subtle details of the fabric.
- step 06
Add the pearl necklace, carefully rendering the highlights and shadows on each pearl.
- step 07
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 08
Adjust the overall values and colors to create a cohesive and balanced painting.
color palette
primary · burnt sienna · titanium white · cadmium red light
secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue
Skin tones are achieved by mixing burnt sienna, titanium white, and small amounts of cadmium red light. Use ivory black and ultramarine blue to create darker shadows. Yellow ochre can be added to warm up the skin tones.
techniques
- ·portrait drawing
- ·color mixing
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Ignoring the subtle value changes in the skin, leading to a flat appearance.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Overworking the painting, losing the freshness and spontaneity.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·#2 filbert brush
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
related artworks
Dolly Sisters
Kees van Dongen
Nude with Loaves
Jean Helion
My Father
Carlos Botelho
Helen
Chronis Botsoglou
The portrait painter in the country
Albin Egger-Lienz
Marketta on Lázeňská street, Prague
Maria Bozoky
Winter at the Entrepotdok, in Amsterdam city
Paul Werner
Old Woman with Masks (Theatre of Masks)
James Ensor