plate no. 0279

Catharine Lorillard Wolfe

oil, canvasAcademicismportraitportraitfiguredressfurtablered background

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of skin tones, as well as practice in depicting complex fabric folds and textures.

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 figure's pose and proportions.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of red-brown paint.
step 03
Establish the basic shapes and values of the dress, focusing on the highlights and shadows.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the light and shadow on the face.
step 05
Add details to the dress, including the folds, wrinkles, and textures.
step 06
Paint the fur trim, using short, broken brushstrokes to create a realistic texture.
step 07
Refine the hands and jewelry, paying attention to the details.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · ivory · burnt umber · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · viridian green · ultramarine blue · raw sienna

Mix ivory with small amounts of yellow ochre and burnt umber to create the subtle variations in the dress. Use a mix of cadmium red and burnt umber for the background, adjusting the ratio to create different shades.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·blending
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Inaccurate proportions of the figure.
→Overly harsh or flat lighting.
→Lack of detail in the dress and fur.
→Poor blending of colors.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (ivory, burnt umber, cadmium red, yellow ochre, viridian green, ultramarine blue, raw sienna)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette
·palette knife