plate no. 9381

Emmanuelle Béart

Hubertine Heijermans, 1995

oil, canvasNew Realismportraitportraitwomanhathairfaceclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, subtle color mixing for skin tones, and rendering soft light and shadow. It also provides practice in capturing the texture of hair and fabric.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the overall composition, focusing on accurate proportions of the face and hat.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, hat, background, and clothing.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, using subtle color variations to create highlights and shadows.
step 04
Work on the hair, paying attention to the direction of the strands and the highlights.
step 05
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Add details to the hat and clothing, capturing the textures and folds.
step 07
Blend and soften edges as needed to create a smooth, realistic effect.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red light · raw umber · ivory black

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and burnt sienna, with small amounts of red and blue for subtle variations. The background is a mix of white and ultramarine blue, with touches of other colors to create depth.

techniques