plate no. 7789

Girl from back, Luisita

Carlos Saenz de Tejada, 1917

oilImpressionismportraitfigureportraitbackhairbowskin

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses the painting 'Girl from back, Luisita' (1917) by Carlos Saenz de Tejada, an oil portrait executed in the Impressionist style. While specific visual details of the subject’s clothing or background are not provided in the source texts, the guide focuses on the technical reconstruction of the work using traditional oil painting methods consistent with early 20th-century practice. The process emphasizes the 'fat over lean' principle to ensure structural integrity, utilizing layering techniques that allow for the adjustment of translucency and texture characteristic of the medium (Source 1). The approach also incorporates historical methods of monochrome underpainting and glazing, which were standard for achieving depth and color harmony in portrait painting during this era (Source 2).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 4-6 weeks (allowing for oxidation drying times between layers)

materials

6 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (artist grade)	Primary medium for color application	—
Linseed oil	Medium to increase oil content in upper layers ('fat over lean') and adjust drying time	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Mineral spirits or turpentine	Solvent to thin paint for initial layers and clean brushes	Odorless mineral spirits (OMS)
Charcoal or thinned paint	For initial sketching of the subject onto the canvas	—
Paintbrushes and palette knives	Application of paint; knives can also scrape off wet paint for corrections	—
Rags	Removing wet paint or applying glazes/scumbles	—

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a primed canvas suitable for oil painting. While specific ground preparation for Saenz de Tejada is not detailed in the sources, traditional practice involves a stable surface to support the oil layers. Ensure the surface is dry and free of dust before beginning the underdrawing.

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint. This traditional step establishes the composition and proportions before applying opaque layers (Source 1). Given the Impressionist style, the drawing may remain loose, focusing on broad masses rather than rigid outlines, consistent with the advice to avoid being 'too tied down to your outline' (Source 3).

underpainting

Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values and forms. This layer should be lean (mixed with more solvent than oil) to allow proper drying. The goal is to mentally extract specific colors (like red and yellow) to focus on structure and light/shadow relationships before introducing full color (Source 2). Allow this layer to dry completely, which may take several days to two weeks depending on thickness and color (Source 1).

color palette

General Flesh Tones

Yellow and red tones glazed over a neutral underpainting

Skin areas, applied via glazing to achieve translucency and warmth

Neutrals/Grays

Black, ultramarine, and white (as noted in Reynolds' method)

Underpainting or shadow areas to establish value structure

Local Colors

Various pigments depending on the subject's attire and background

General use; specific hues are not described in sources, so rely on observational color theory

composition

Specific compositional details of 'Girl from back, Luisita' are not described in the provided sources. However, as a portrait, the composition likely centers on the figure. In the Impressionist style, the artist may have emphasized color juxtapositions and simplified forms rather than intricate detail, similar to contemporaries who avoided excessive modeling (Source 4). The focus is on the expressive capacity of the paint and the interaction of light on the form.

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the figure of the girl from the back onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Keep lines loose to allow for adjustments; oil paint remains wet long enough to change form (Source 1).
Traditional sketching

underpainting

step 02
Apply a lean monochrome layer (grisaille) to establish values. Use a mix of black, ultramarine, and white or similar neutrals.
Tip — Ensure this layer is 'lean' (more solvent) to prevent cracking later. Focus on broad masses rather than fine details (Source 2, Source 3).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Once the underpainting is dry, begin applying color. Use glazing techniques for transparent coats of color, particularly for flesh tones.
Tip — Glazing involves a transparent coat of color over the dry underpainting. This mimics the effect of tinting an engraving (Source 2).
Glazing

refining

step 04
Apply subsequent layers of paint with increasing oil content ('fat over lean'). Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and create texture.
Tip — Each layer must contain more oil than the one below to prevent cracking. Scumbling over darker grounds can create coldness or gray blooms (Source 1, Source 2).
Fat over Lean / Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine details and adjust color contrasts. Use palette knives or rags to scrape or blend if necessary, while the paint is still workable.
Tip — Oil paint allows for changes in color, texture, or form while wet. If a layer is too thick or incorrect, it can be scraped off (Source 1).
Palette Knife/Rag manipulation

varnishing

step 06
Allow the painting to dry completely (up to two weeks or more) before applying a final varnish if desired.
Tip — Oil paint dries by oxidation, not evaporation. Ensure full drying to prevent trapping solvents (Source 1).
Oxidation Drying

critical techniques

Fat over Lean

A basic rule where each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below. This ensures proper drying and prevents cracking or peeling (Source 1).

Glazing and Scumbling

Glazing applies transparent color over a dry underpainting to build depth. Scumbling applies semi-opaque paint to modify underlying tones. These were common among old masters and useful for achieving subtle color effects (Source 2).

Monochrome Underpainting

Establishing values and form in a single color scheme before adding color. This helps in mentally extracting specific hues to focus on structure (Source 2).

common pitfalls

→Applying lean layers over fat layers, which will cause the painting to crack and peel (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied to the initial outline, which can result in a stiff appearance. Impressionist practice favors broad masses and color juxtapositions (Source 3, Source 4).
→Darkening colors by adding black, which can shift hues toward green or blue. It is better to use complementary colors to neutralize and darken without hue shift (Source 8).
→Insufficient drying time between layers. Oil paint dries by oxidation and can take up to two weeks to be dry to the touch (Source 1).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific visual details of the subject 'Luisita' (e.g., hair color, clothing pattern, background elements) are not described in the sources.
·Carlos Saenz de Tejada's specific personal palette or unique brushwork habits are not detailed in the provided texts; the guide relies on general Impressionist and traditional oil painting techniques.
·The exact dimensions of the original artwork are not provided, which affects material quantity estimates.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques (Source 2)
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding over-modeling and focusing on broad masses (Source 3)

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Underdrawing, fat over lean rule, drying times, and use of solvents/oils (Source 1, Source 5)
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 17 — applied to Context on Impressionist and early 20th-century portrait styles (Source 4)
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — part 6 — applied to Guidance on mixing colors and avoiding hue shifts when darkening (Source 8)