plate no. 1314

Girl's profile

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfigureprofilehairwoman

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive mark-making and understanding how to suggest form with limited color and loose strokes. It also provides practice in capturing a likeness and conveying mood through color and line.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic outline of the head, neck, and shoulders on toned paper.
step 02
Establish the background using dark browns and blacks, leaving space for the figure.
step 03
Begin blocking in the hair with orange and yellow pastels, focusing on the overall shape and volume.
step 04
Add highlights to the face and neck using white and light yellow pastels, blending softly.
step 05
Introduce blue accents in the background and on the figure to create contrast and visual interest.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Add final touches and adjust the values to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Fix the pastel with a workable fixative spray.

color palette

primary · orange · yellow · white · black

secondary · blue · brown

Mix orange and yellow for the hair highlights. Use white to lighten the face and neck. Darken areas with brown and black. Blue is used as an accent color and to create shadows.

techniques

·hatching
·scumbling
·blending
·layering
·expressive linework

common pitfalls

→Over-blending, which can flatten the image.
→Using too much pressure, which can make the colors appear muddy.
→Neglecting the background, which is essential for creating depth.
→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.

materials

surface · Toned pastel paper

required

·Toned pastel paper
·Soft pastels (orange, yellow, white, black, blue, brown)
·Kneaded eraser
·Blending stumps or tortillions
·Workable fixative spray
·Pencils for sketching

optional

·Pastel pencils
·Chamois cloth
·Palette knife

Choose a pastel paper with a slightly rough texture to grip the pastels. A mid-tone paper will allow for both highlights and shadows. Workable fixative is essential to prevent smudging and allow for layering.

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