plate no. 6791

Girl with straw hat

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitwomanhatribbonshawlprofile

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as rendering fabric and accessories with realistic folds and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the woman, hat, and shawl onto the canvas.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: background, skin tones, hat, ribbon, and shawl.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in value and color.
step 04
Develop the form of the hat, using light and shadow to create a sense of depth.
step 05
Paint the green ribbon, capturing its folds and highlights.
step 06
Add details to the shawl, including the pattern along the edge.
step 07
Refine the hair, adding individual strands and highlights.
step 08
Add final details, such as the pearl necklace and the expression on the woman's face.

color palette

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

secondary · viridian green · ivory black

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use viridian green mixed with yellow ochre and white for the ribbon. Mix raw umber and ivory black with linseed oil for the background.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·blending
·chiaroscuro
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Inaccurate proportions in the initial sketch.
→Overly harsh or flat skin tones.
→Lack of depth in the hat and shawl.
→Ignoring the subtle shifts in color and value.
→Getting the green ribbon color wrong

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints: raw umber, titanium white, cadmium red light, yellow ochre, viridian green, ivory black
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette
·Palette knife