plate no. 7353
Girl with a Hat
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and rendering details in a limited palette. It also provides an opportunity to study the interplay of light and shadow on the figure and background.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the girl's head, hat, body, and the background cabinet.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the skin tones, hair, dress, and the general tones of the cabinet.
- step 03
Start refining the skin tones, paying attention to subtle shifts in color and value to create form.
- step 04
Develop the details of the hair, using thin brushstrokes to suggest individual strands.
- step 05
Add the details of the hat, focusing on the shape and the cast shadows.
- step 06
Work on the dress, capturing the folds and textures with careful brushwork.
- step 07
Refine the background cabinet, adding the floral details and the decorative elements.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall depth and realism of the painting.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · burnt sienna
secondary · ivory black · cadmium red light · yellow ochre
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, raw umber, and a touch of red. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the hair. Muted greens and pinks can be created by mixing the primary colors with white and black.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones, leading to a muddy or lifeless appearance.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
- →Neglecting the background, which can detract from the overall composition.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
- ·Oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, burnt sienna, ivory black, cadmium red light, yellow ochre)
- ·Assorted round and flat brushes
- ·Palette
- ·Linseed oil
- ·Odorless mineral spirits
- ·Palette knife
optional
- ·Retouch varnish
- ·Medium (e.g., Liquin)
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will facilitate blending.
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