plate no. 6917

In Her Eyes

oilContemporary Realismsymbolic paintingportraitflowersproteststarsstripescityscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and layering techniques to create depth and visual interest. The student will also learn to create a focal point using color and composition.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the portrait, flowers, and background elements.
step 02
Apply a base layer of color to the background, using a light gray for the upper portion and a turquoise for the lower portion.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the portrait, focusing on the shadows and highlights.
step 04
Paint the flowers, starting with the darkest reds and gradually adding lighter shades.
step 05
Add the white stars, ensuring they are evenly spaced and sized.
step 06
Paint the stripes in the hair area, using white and light gray.
step 07
Add the cityscape silhouette in the background.
step 08
Refine the details of the portrait and flowers, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · raw umber · titanium white · turquoise

secondary · cadmium red · sap green · payne's gray · orange

Mix various shades of brown and red for the skin tones, using white to lighten and blue to darken. Achieve the turquoise by mixing blue and green with white. Create the flower colors by mixing red with white, pink, and a touch of purple.

techniques

·color layering
·blending
·dry brushing
·scumbling
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the portrait details too early.
→Not achieving a smooth transition between the background colors.
→Making the flowers too uniform in color and shape.
→Incorrect placement or sizing of the stars.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·acrylic paints
·round brushes (various sizes)
·flat brushes (various sizes)
·palette
·palette knife
·water container
·paper towels

optional

·retarder medium
·varnish
·easel

Use high-quality acrylic paints for best results. Consider using a retarder medium to slow the drying time of the acrylics, allowing for more blending.

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