plate no. 5080
Girl Braiding Her Hair
Albrecht Anker, 1887
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly rendering realistic skin tones and hair, and understanding subtle value changes to create form.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the figure's proportions and placement.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, clothing, and background.
- step 03
Refine the skin tones, paying attention to subtle shifts in value and color.
- step 04
Develop the hair, using layers of color to create depth and texture.
- step 05
Add details to the clothing, book, and other objects on the table.
- step 06
Refine the background, ensuring it recedes and doesn't compete with the figure.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create a sense of light and form.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to color, value, and detail.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · titanium white · raw umber
secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow
Mix skin tones using yellow ochre, white, and a touch of red or burnt sienna. Use ultramarine blue and raw umber to create the muted grays for the clothing and background. Achieve the hair color by layering yellow ochre and cadmium yellow with touches of burnt sienna for depth.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a flat or lifeless appearance.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value in the hair.
- →Making the background too bright or detailed, distracting from the figure.
- →Ignoring the importance of accurate proportions in the initial sketch.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints (yellow ochre, titanium white, raw umber, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, cadmium yellow)
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
- ·palette
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·palette knife
- ·rags
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·retouch varnish
- ·easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium-grain canvas will provide a good surface for layering.
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