plate no. 5996

Head of a Girl

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguregirlhairclothingface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, skin tone mixing, and subtle blending. It also provides practice in rendering details like hair and clothing.

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 head, shoulders, and hair.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin, even layer of blended grays and blues.
step 03
Block in the main areas of skin tone using a mid-tone mixture.
step 04
Add highlights and shadows to the face, focusing on the planes of the face and the light source.
step 05
Paint the hair, paying attention to the direction of the curls and the highlights.
step 06
Define the clothing with dark values and subtle highlights.
step 07
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red light

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, red, umber, and a touch of yellow ochre. The background is a blend of white, black, and blue. Hair is a mix of umber, black, and touches of red and yellow.

techniques