plate no. 3540

Girl in Fur Hood (also Known as Head of a Woman with Fur Lined Hood)

Abbott Handerson Thayer, 1908

oilRealismportraitportraitfigurehoodclothingfacewoman

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will allow students to practice portraiture basics, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, while also exploring expressive brushwork and creating depth with a limited palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, hood, and shoulders using a light pencil.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the background and hood with a thin wash of dark brown or black.
step 03
Block in the general skin tone of the face, paying attention to the highlights and shadows.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the texture and form of the hood using visible brushstrokes and varying values.
step 06
Add highlights and details to the face and hood to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the clothing area with loose brushstrokes, suggesting form and texture.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and details to achieve a cohesive and expressive portrait.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · sap green

Mix skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt sienna. Use ivory black and raw umber for dark areas, lightening with white for highlights. Introduce small amounts of sap green to neutralize some of the browns and blacks.

techniques

·portraiture
·chiaroscuro
·alla prima
·expressive brushwork
·value studies

common pitfalls

→Overworking the face and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure, resulting in a flat or muddy painting.
→Getting bogged down in details too early, before establishing the overall composition and values.
→Using too much paint, which can lead to a thick and overworked surface.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil or painting medium
·Odorless mineral spirits or turpentine
·Rags or paper towels