plate no. 8865
Head of a Woman
Orazio Gentileschi, 1636
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, subtle skin tone blending, and capturing a likeness. It also provides practice in creating a soft, diffused light effect.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch of the head and shoulders, paying attention to proportions and angles.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, background.
- step 03
Begin layering the skin tones, focusing on the subtle shifts in value and hue.
- step 04
Refine the features of the face, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 05
Develop the background with soft, blended brushstrokes.
- step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Refine the hair, adding strands and texture.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition and color balance.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre · burnt sienna
secondary · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson · ivory black
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use raw umber and ivory black for shadows and hair. Add ultramarine blue to white for cool highlights.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·soft blending
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to capture the subtle shifts in value and hue.
- →Ignoring the importance of light and shadow in creating form.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·assorted round and flat brushes
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to create a more unified color palette.
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