plate no. 4176

Dana Gordon

Alice Neel, 1972

oilExpressionismportraitfigureportraitchairmanclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and understanding proportions, as well as practice expressive brushwork and color mixing for skin tones and clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and chair.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, clothing, chair stripes, and background.
step 03
Start refining the skin tones, mixing variations of browns, reds, and yellows.
step 04
Add details to the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Define the folds and shadows in the clothing and chair.
step 06
Work on the striped pattern of the chair, ensuring consistent spacing and thickness.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to the figure and background.
step 08
Review and adjust the painting as needed to capture the overall mood and likeness.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · raw umber · cadmium red

Mix skin tones by combining burnt sienna, yellow ochre, and titanium white, with small amounts of cadmium red for warmth. Achieve the blue tones by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a touch of raw umber for shadows.

techniques