plate no. 8534

Head of a Young Girl

oilImpressionismportraitportraitfiguregirlheadclothingdark background

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose brushwork, color mixing for skin tones, and creating depth with a limited palette. It also encourages expressive mark-making rather than precise rendering.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic proportions of the head and shoulders lightly on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the dark background using a mix of browns and blacks, leaving space for the figure.
step 03
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face using a limited palette of skin tones.
step 04
Begin adding color variations to the face, such as reds in the cheeks and around the eyes.
step 05
Paint the clothing with loose, expressive brushstrokes, using a mix of whites, blues, and oranges.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Add final touches to the background and clothing, ensuring a cohesive and painterly feel.
step 08
Let dry and add a varnish layer.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Skin tones can be achieved by mixing white, red, and a touch of yellow ochre. Use burnt umber to create shadows and darker tones. Mix ultramarine blue with white to create the cooler tones in the clothing.

techniques

·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·color temperature

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the loose, expressive quality.
→Using too much detail and creating a stiff, unnatural look.
→Not paying attention to the values and creating a flat, uninteresting image.
→Being too literal with color and not allowing for subtle variations.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, titanium white, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits