plate no. 1549

Anna Sundström

oilRomanticismportraitfigureportraitwomanshawlhandsreading

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly capturing likeness and rendering soft, diffused light. It also provides practice in creating subtle color variations and using loose brushwork to suggest form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, paying attention to the angle of the head and the placement of the hands.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, muted tone, leaving the figure as the focal point.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, shawl, and hands, using thin washes of paint.
step 04
Develop the shadows and highlights on the face to create depth and dimension, using a limited palette of earth tones and grays.
step 05
Add the details of the shawl, paying attention to the pattern and the way it drapes over the figure.
step 06
Refine the details of the hands and the object being held, using small, precise brushstrokes.
step 07
Adjust the overall values and colors to create a sense of harmony and balance.
step 08
Add any final details or touches to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · payne's gray · cadmium orange

Achieve the skin tones by mixing burnt umber, raw sienna, and titanium white, adjusting the proportions to create subtle variations. Use payne's gray to darken the shadows and create depth.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·glazing
·scumbling
·limited palette
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality of the original.
→Using too much color and creating a painting that is too bright or saturated.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the figure.
→Ignoring the importance of value contrast in creating depth and dimension.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·burnt umber oil paint
·raw sienna oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·payne's gray oil paint
·cadmium orange oil paint
·#4 round brush
·#6 flat brush

optional

·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits

Use a canvas with a smooth surface to allow for easy blending and glazing. Consider using a medium to thin the paint and create a smoother consistency.

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