plate no. 6918

AP 1905 06 Portrait of Gertrude Stein

Anthony Padgett, 2018

oilPost-Impressionismsymbolic paintingfigureportraitchairmanclothingindoor

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex shapes and using a limited color palette effectively.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, chair, and background.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, focusing on the planes of the face and hands.
step 04
Define the clothing with broad strokes, capturing the folds and wrinkles.
step 05
Add details to the chair and background, maintaining the loose, painterly style.
step 06
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · ultramarine blue · raw sienna

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt umber, and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create various shades of black for the clothing and chair. Lighten colors with titanium white and adjust warmth with cadmium yellow.

techniques

·blocking in
·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the loose, painterly feel.
→Struggling with proportions and likeness in the portrait.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Ignoring the importance of value contrast.
→Getting lost in details too early

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt umber, ivory black, titanium white, cadmium yellow, ultramarine blue, raw sienna)
·Assorted brushes (flat and round)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags