plate no. 8113

Child portrait of Melanie Deinhardstein

oil, canvasBiedermeierportraitportraitfigurechildhairclothingribbon

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle value gradations to create form. It also provides practice in rendering realistic hair and clothing folds.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin, dark wash.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, hair, and clothing.
step 04
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the hair, using layers of color to create depth and texture.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, including the collar and ribbon.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a sense of harmony.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, red, and yellow ochre, with small amounts of umber and blue for shadows. The dark background is a mix of black and umber. The clothing is primarily umber and white, with subtle variations in value.

techniques