plate no. 7223

Kokona Despina

Osman Hamdi, 1906

canvas, oilRomanticismportraitportraitfigureelderly womanclothingheadwearface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting textures and details in clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and hat.
step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and clothing with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin layering in the skin tones, paying close attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Develop the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the character of the subject.
step 05
Work on the clothing, rendering the textures and folds with careful brushwork.
step 06
Add details to the hat, including the lace trim.
step 07
Refine the background, ensuring it complements the subject without being distracting.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to achieve a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones using yellow ochre, burnt umber, cadmium red, and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create deep blacks for the clothing and hat. Vary the proportions to create different shades.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt umber, ivory black, titanium white, cadmium red, ultramarine blue)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags