plate no. 8220

Donna al caffè

Antonio Donghi, 1931

oilMagic Realismportraitportraitwomanhatchairinteriorobjects

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating smooth gradients. It also provides practice in capturing subtle details and achieving a realistic representation of form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, chair, and background objects.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, hat, dress, background, and objects on the shelf.
step 03
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending subtle variations in color.
step 04
Add details to the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the form of the dress and chair with shading and highlights.
step 06
Paint the background and objects on the shelf, paying attention to their relative values.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to the entire painting.
step 08
Allow to dry and add a varnish layer.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · viridian

secondary · cadmium red light · ivory black

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt umber and cadmium red light. The green of the dress is a mix of viridian and burnt umber. The background is a muted yellow ochre mixed with white and a touch of umber.

techniques