plate no. 6975

Dare Me

Chiara Magni, 2020

oilImpressionismportraitportraitfigurewomanfacehairjewelry

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and color mixing to create dynamic portraits. It also encourages simplification of form and capturing likeness through color and value.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the face and body.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color with thin washes, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 03
Begin adding thicker paint layers, using visible brushstrokes to define the forms.
step 04
Mix variations of blues, pinks, and yellows to create the skin tones and clothing.
step 05
Pay attention to the direction of the brushstrokes to suggest the contours of the face.
step 06
Add the darks of the hair and the details of the eyes and lips.
step 07
Introduce small amounts of orange to add warmth and contrast.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · cadmium yellow light

secondary · cadmium red light · alizarin crimson · ivory black

Mix blues and whites for cool skin tones; add small amounts of yellow and red for warmer areas. Use black sparingly to deepen shadows.

techniques

·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling
·color temperature
·expressive brushwork

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Getting bogged down in details too early.
→Using too much black and muddying the colors.
→Not paying attention to the direction of the brushstrokes.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, titanium white, cadmium yellow light, cadmium red light, alizarin crimson, ivory black)
·round brushes (#2, #6, #10)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags