plate no. 2933
Isabella
Christian Schad, 1934
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as atmospheric perspective in the background.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the overall composition, focusing on the placement and proportions of the figure and background elements.
- step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors of the background mountains and sky, using thin washes.
- step 03
Establish the basic skin tones and values on the face and neck, paying attention to the light source.
- step 04
Begin refining the facial features, focusing on accurate shapes and subtle shading.
- step 05
Paint the clothing, capturing the folds and highlights.
- step 06
Add details to the hair, creating texture and volume.
- step 07
Refine the background, adding details to the trees and mountains.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to the figure and background to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · burnt sienna · titanium white · yellow ochre · raw umber
secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light · ivory black
Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt sienna, yellow ochre, and titanium white, with small amounts of red and blue for subtle variations. Use ultramarine blue and raw umber to create the atmospheric haze in the mountains.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·blending
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Oversaturating the colors, especially in the skin tones.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth in the background.
- →Overworking the details, resulting in a stiff or unnatural appearance.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to thin the paint and improve blending.
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