plate no. 0890

Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Princess of Wales, with Members of Her Family and Household

oilRococoportraitfiguresportraitfamilyclothinginteriorroyal

advanced study

Recreating this painting would develop skills in portraiture, including accurate rendering of facial features and drapery, as well as understanding complex compositions with multiple figures. Students will also practice color mixing for skin tones and fabrics.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 40 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figures.
step 02
Block in the background and large shapes with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin developing the skin tones, paying close attention to highlights and shadows.
step 04
Work on the clothing, focusing on the folds and textures of the fabrics.
step 05
Add details to the faces, including eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Refine the background and add any remaining details.
step 07
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · gold · alizarin crimson

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of burnt umber. Achieve the gold tones by layering yellow ochre and burnt umber, and glazing with a transparent gold.

techniques