plate no. 3004

Hoofd Van Een Jonge Vrouw

Gustave de Smet, 1914

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfigurewomannecklacehairclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to mix unconventional skin tones and how to use visible brushstrokes to create texture and form. It also provides practice in capturing a likeness with simplified shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and hair.
step 02
Block in the background with a mix of white, gray, and subtle green tones.
step 03
Establish the main skin tone using a base of green, white, and touches of red and brown.
step 04
Add shadows and highlights to the face, paying attention to the planes of the face.
step 05
Paint the hair using dark browns and blacks, adding highlights with touches of gold or yellow.
step 06
Block in the red of the dress, varying the tone slightly to create depth.
step 07
Add the necklace with small strokes of turquoise and brown.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red · sap green

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · turquoise

Achieve the skin tone by mixing green with white and small amounts of red and brown. Use varying amounts of red and brown to create warmer and cooler tones.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·alla prima
·color mixing
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overmixing the colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Being too literal with the skin tones, losing the expressive quality.
→Ignoring the planes of the face, resulting in a flat appearance.
→Making the brushstrokes too uniform, losing the texture.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·acrylic gesso
·titanium white oil paint
·burnt umber oil paint
·cadmium red oil paint
·sap green oil paint
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·palette knife

optional

·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette

A canvas with a slightly textured surface will enhance the effect of the brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.

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