plate no. 5953

Girl in red scarf (worker)

Kuzmá Petrov-Vodkin, 1925

oil, canvasSymbolismportraitportraitfigureheadscarfclothingfacebackground

some experience helpful

This painting offers practice in portraiture, focusing on subtle color variations in skin tones and achieving realistic facial features. Students will also learn to simplify a background to emphasize the subject.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, scarf, and shoulders onto the canvas.
step 02
Establish the background with broad, muted tones, using a limited palette.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color on the face, scarf, and clothing, focusing on value relationships.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to proportions and subtle shifts in color.
step 05
Develop the shadows and highlights on the face to create form and dimension.
step 06
Add details to the scarf and clothing, such as folds and wrinkles.
step 07
Refine the background, adding subtle variations in color and texture.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to the face and scarf to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · red · yellow ochre · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and titanium white, adding small amounts of raw umber and ultramarine blue for shadows. Achieve the red scarf color by mixing a pure red with small amounts of burnt sienna for depth.

techniques