plate no. 5802

Flower girl

oil, panelRealismportraitportraitwomanflowershatdressgold

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as understanding how to depict fabric and floral details with visible brushstrokes.

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 main shapes: head, shoulders, hat, and flower arrangement.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin layer of warm yellow and beige tones.
step 03
Block in the skin tones using a mix of white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red, paying attention to the light and shadow areas.
step 04
Begin defining the features of the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Paint the dress with white and off-white hues, capturing the folds and drapery with visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Add the hat using a mix of browns, oranges, and yellows, creating texture with short, broken strokes.
step 07
Paint the flowers with reds, pinks, and whites, varying the brushstrokes to create a sense of depth and volume.
step 08
Add the final details, such as highlights in the eyes and subtle shadows on the face and dress.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · cadmium red

secondary · ivory black · ultramarine blue · raw umber

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red; use burnt sienna and raw umber for shadows. Create the hat's color by blending browns, oranges, and yellows. Mix reds, pinks, and whites for the flowers.

techniques

·portraiture
·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat and lifeless appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
→Getting lost in the details too early, before establishing the overall composition and values.
→Ignoring the importance of brushstroke direction in creating form and texture.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, cadmium red, ivory black, ultramarine blue, raw umber)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife
·rags