plate no. 4609

Elizaveta Alexeevna in diademe

oilNeoclassicismportraitportraitfiguredressjewelryfeathershair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting fabrics and textures, such as the feathers and jewelry.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and dress.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then moving to the skin tones, dress, and hair.
step 03
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending different shades to create a smooth, realistic effect.
step 04
Add details to the dress, including the folds, shadows, and highlights.
step 05
Paint the jewelry and feathers, paying close attention to the details and textures.
step 06
Refine the facial features, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth to capture the likeness of the subject.
step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Glaze the painting with thin layers of color to unify the overall effect.

color palette

primary · red · ivory black · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · raw umber · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Create the red dress by mixing alizarin crimson with a touch of black for shadows and white for highlights. Use ivory black and white to create the background.

techniques

·portraiture
·blending
·glazing
·rendering
·light and shadow

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions
→Muddy skin tones
→Overworking details
→Flat rendering of fabrics

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (red, ivory black, titanium white, yellow ochre, raw umber, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson)
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil