plate no. 1934
Jeune Fille de Capri
Jean Benner, 1906
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle color mixing for skin tones. It also provides practice in rendering soft light and creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background buildings.
- step 02
Establish the overall color palette by blocking in large areas of color for the sky, buildings, and skin tones.
- step 03
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the shapes of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 04
Develop the hair, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
- step 05
Add details to the clothing, including the folds and wrinkles.
- step 06
Refine the background buildings, using lighter values and less detail to create a sense of distance.
- step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a harmonious and balanced composition.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to bring the painting to life.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue
secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow light · alizarin crimson
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and umber. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky, adding a touch of yellow ochre for warmth. Mix raw umber and white for the buildings, adjusting the values to create depth.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of harmony.
- →Using colors that are too saturated or intense.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth in the background.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium such as linseed oil can be used to thin the paints and improve blending.
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