plate no. 8669

Girl with a pink ribbon

Gustave de Smet, 1935

oilExpressionismportraitportraitgirlfigureribbondresshair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes and using expressive brushstrokes to create texture and interest. It also provides practice in color mixing to achieve muted and harmonious tones.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the girl's head, body, and background.
step 02
Block in the main color areas: skin tones, dress, background, and hair.
step 03
Refine the shapes of the facial features and add details like the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 04
Add the pink ribbon and other small details.
step 05
Begin adding texture and depth with visible brushstrokes, following the form of the subject.
step 06
Mix and apply highlights and shadows to create dimension.
step 07
Add the grid pattern to the dress using thin lines of a lighter color.
step 08
Adjust colors and values as needed to achieve a cohesive and expressive result.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · titanium white · flesh tint

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · payne's gray

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. Use small amounts of yellow and red to create the skin tones, and mix blue and umber for the background.

techniques