plate no. 7899

Josina Copes van Westrum and Her Children

oilBaroqueportraitfiguresportraitchildrenlandscapearchitectureallegorical

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, rendering fabric textures, and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in depicting complex compositions with multiple figures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 40 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the overall composition and placement of figures and key elements.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors, focusing on the large areas of value and color.
step 03
Develop the background landscape, paying attention to atmospheric perspective and softening details in the distance.
step 04
Refine the figures, starting with the larger forms and gradually adding details like facial features and clothing folds.
step 05
Carefully render the fabric textures, using a combination of blending and layering techniques.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension, paying attention to the light source.
step 07
Refine the details of the architectural elements and other background objects.
step 08
Add final glazes to unify the colors and create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · alizarin crimson

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Create shadows with burnt umber and blue. Use glazes of alizarin crimson to add warmth to the fabrics.

techniques