plate no. 7828

Caroline, Duchess of Marlborough

oil, canvasRococoportraitportraitfiguredogdresslandscapetrees

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering fabric textures. It also provides practice in creating atmospheric perspective in the background.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the figure, the dog, the chair, and the background elements.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by blocking in the large areas of color, focusing on the values.
step 03
Begin refining the background, using thin layers of paint to create depth and atmospheric perspective.
step 04
Start building up the details of the dress, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
step 05
Carefully render the face, focusing on accurate proportions and subtle value changes.
step 06
Paint the dog, capturing its unique features and fur texture.
step 07
Add the final details, such as the jewelry, the flower, and the lace trim.
step 08
Glaze the painting to unify the colors and add depth.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · alizarin crimson · burnt umber · raw sienna

Achieve the skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, titanium white, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Create the blue of the dress by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a touch of black for shadows. The background is a mix of burnt umber, raw sienna, and black, thinned with medium.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·blending
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to create a sense of depth in the background.
→Making the colors too saturated.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, titanium white, ivory black, alizarin crimson, burnt umber, raw sienna)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife
·rags