plate no. 6362

Italian girl

Andre Derain, 1923

oil, canvasNeoclassicismportraitportraitfigurewomanheadscarfclothinghands

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portrait painting, including capturing likeness and rendering fabric folds. It also offers practice in color mixing to achieve subtle skin tones and atmospheric effects.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and hands.
step 02
Establish the background colors with broad, blended strokes.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, clothing, and headscarf.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying attention to the light and shadow on the face.
step 05
Develop the folds and details of the clothing and headscarf, using lighter and darker tones to create depth.
step 06
Add subtle color variations to the skin tones to create a sense of realism.
step 07
Refine the details of the hands and facial expression.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall form and create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt sienna · raw umber

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt sienna, raw umber, and titanium white, with small touches of cadmium red for warmth. Use ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to create neutral grays for shadows and clothing.

techniques