plate no. 1818

Empress Elisabeth Christine

oil, canvasRococoportraitportraitfiguredresscrowncolumndrapery

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering fabric folds and textures. It also provides practice in color mixing to achieve subtle variations in skin tones and drapery.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the figure's pose and proportions.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then the figure's clothing.
step 03
Develop the skin tones, using layers of thin paint to create subtle variations.
step 04
Add details to the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Render the folds and textures of the dress and drapery, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 06
Paint the crown and other accessories, adding highlights and details.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting colors and values as needed.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

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

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · gold

Mix white with small amounts of black, yellow ochre, and cadmium red to create skin tones. Use ultramarine blue and white to create the pale blue of the dress. Mix burnt umber and black for the darker areas of the background and dress.

techniques

·portraiture
·fabric rendering
·glazing
·scumbling
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a flat or lifeless appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
→Ignoring the importance of light and shadow in creating depth and dimension.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (titanium white, ivory black, cadmium red, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt umber)
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·rags