plate no. 3408
Girl Head
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating a sense of depth through layering and soft blending. It also provides practice in capturing subtle expressions and using a limited color palette effectively.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and hair, paying attention to proportions.
- step 02
Block in the background with a light yellow-beige wash, adding the floral pattern with diluted blues and grays.
- step 03
Establish the main skin tones using a mix of yellow ochre, white, and a touch of red.
- step 04
Define the shadows and highlights on the face and neck, using darker and lighter variations of the skin tone mix.
- step 05
Paint the hair with dark brown and black, adding subtle highlights to suggest form.
- step 06
Block in the red dress, varying the tone to create folds and shadows.
- step 07
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the eyes, lips, and nose.
- step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed to create a cohesive and expressive portrait.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · titanium white · cadmium red · ivory black
secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber
Mix yellow ochre, white, and a touch of red for the base skin tone. Add burnt umber and blue to darken the skin tone for shadows. Mix red with a touch of black for the dress. Use white and blue to create the background floral pattern.
techniques
- ·color mixing
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·portraiture
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to capture the subtle expression of the subject.
- →Using too much detail and losing the overall impressionistic feel.
- →Ignoring the importance of value contrast in creating form.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
- ·oil paints (yellow ochre, titanium white, cadmium red, ivory black, ultramarine blue, burnt umber)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·rags
optional
- ·painting medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·varnish
Use a medium-tooth canvas for a slightly textured surface. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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