plate no. 0741

Head of a woman (Portrait of Lady Elizabeth Cavendish)

Lucian Freud, 1950

oil, canvasExpressionismportraitportraitwomanfacehairfigurehead

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with nuanced color and value. It also encourages observation of subtle tonal variations in skin tones.

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 and facial features.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up layers of paint, focusing on the planes of the face and how they turn in space.
step 04
Mix and apply subtle variations in skin tone, paying attention to the warm and cool colors.
step 05
Define the features (eyes, nose, mouth) with careful observation and precise brushstrokes.
step 06
Work on the hair, capturing its texture and volume with varied brushwork.
step 07
Refine the background, ensuring it complements the portrait without distracting from it.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to bring the portrait to life.

color palette

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

secondary · ultramarine blue · ivory black · burnt sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, cadmium red light, and titanium white, adjusting the ratios for highlights and shadows. Use small amounts of ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to create cooler tones in the shadows.

techniques

·color mixing
·layering
·blending
·scumbling
·observational drawing

common pitfalls

→Over-blending, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
→Ignoring subtle color variations in skin tones.
→Getting the proportions of the facial features wrong.
→Using too much detail too early in the process.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (raw umber, yellow ochre, titanium white, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue, ivory black, burnt sienna)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·rags