plate no. 9405

Catherine Johnston

oil, canvasBaroqueportraitportraitfigurewomanclothinghairhistorical

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, skin tone mixing, and rendering fabric folds. It also provides practice in creating soft, diffused lighting and subtle value transitions.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the oval composition and the figure's pose, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the background with a dark, neutral color, leaving space for the figure.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones using a limited palette of white, yellow ochre, and burnt sienna.
step 04
Begin layering the skin tones, adding subtle variations in color and value to create form.
step 05
Paint the clothing, focusing on the highlights and shadows to define the folds and drapery.
step 06
Add the hair, using loose brushstrokes to capture the texture and volume.
step 07
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · raw umber · cadmium yellow light · alizarin crimson

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and burnt sienna. Use ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to create the dark background. Mix white with ultramarine to create the blue fabric.

techniques

·portraiture
·blending
·glazing
·chiaroscuro
·fabric rendering

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the face and body.
→Overly harsh or muddy skin tones.
→Lack of depth and dimension in the clothing.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall impression.
→Not capturing the likeness of the subject.

materials

surface · stretched oval canvas

required

·Stretched oval canvas
·Oil paints (titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, raw umber, alizarin crimson)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags