plate no. 1212

Children of the Greenham family

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitchildrenportraitclothingfiguresdresseshair

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in painting fabric and details like lace and hair.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and their clothing.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the skin tones, hair, and clothing.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in value.
step 05
Refine the details of the clothing, including folds, lace, and trims.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Paint the hair, focusing on capturing the texture and form.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition and details.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · ivory black · burnt umber · raw sienna

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of blue or umber for shadows. Achieve the blue of the dress by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a touch of black for darker areas. The red dress is a mix of cadmium red and black.

techniques