plate no. 8945

Girl Holding Lemons

oil, canvasAcademicismportraitfigureportraitlemonslandscapemountainsfoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone blending, as well as rendering realistic drapery and still life elements.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the figure's proportions and the placement of the lemons.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then the figure's skin tones.
step 03
Develop the values in the face, paying attention to the light and shadow to create form.
step 04
Refine the details of the hair, eyes, and mouth, using small brushstrokes and subtle color variations.
step 05
Paint the drapery, focusing on the folds and highlights to create a sense of volume.
step 06
Render the lemons, paying attention to their shape, texture, and color variations.
step 07
Add details to the background landscape, including the mountains and foliage.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition and color balance.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium yellow

secondary · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue · viridian

Achieve skin tones by mixing titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Create the lemon colors by blending cadmium yellow with touches of white and umber for shadows.

techniques