plate no. 8494
Knitting Girl
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as understanding how to depict fabric and texture.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the girl, doll, and background.
- step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Begin building up the skin tones using layers of subtle color variations.
- step 04
Define the features of the face, paying close attention to the eyes and mouth.
- step 05
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and textures of the fabric.
- step 06
Add details to the hands and knitting needles.
- step 07
Render the doll, capturing its unique form and texture.
- step 08
Refine the background and add any final details.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ivory black · raw umber · yellow ochre
secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · cadmium red light
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, raw umber, and a touch of red. Use black and white to create various shades of gray for the background and clothing.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
- ·glazing
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →overworking the skin tones
- →getting the proportions wrong
- →making the background too distracting
- →not capturing the likeness of the subject
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·retarder
- ·easel
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to help establish the initial values.
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