plate no. 9009

Gabriele Munter

Wassily Kandinsky, 1905

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfigurewomanclothinghairface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and capturing subtle light and shadow variations. It also offers a good exercise in loose, expressive brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and the bow.
step 02
Block in the background with a dark, muted purple, leaving room for the figure.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones using a mix of white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red, paying attention to the light source.
step 04
Begin adding shadows and highlights to the face, using subtle variations in color and value.
step 05
Paint the clothing with a base of white, then add shadows and highlights using blues, purples, and yellows.
step 06
Mix a pale green for the bow, adding shadows with darker greens and purples, and highlights with lighter greens and yellows.
step 07
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth, using small, precise brushstrokes.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to the hair and clothing, ensuring the overall composition is balanced.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · alizarin crimson

secondary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · dioxazine purple

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Shadows are created by adding small amounts of burnt umber or ultramarine blue to the skin tone mix. The background is a mix of purple and brown.

techniques

·portraiture
·color mixing
·blending
·loose brushwork
·value studies

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details of the face, resulting in a stiff or unnatural appearance.
→Using too much white, which can make the painting look chalky.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows and highlights.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.