plate no. 5440
La femme au chapeau blanc
suitable for beginners
Recreating this painting will help students practice simplifying forms and using subtle color variations to create depth. It also provides a good exercise in capturing the essence of a subject with minimal detail.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
2
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the figure, hat, and background.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: the background, skin tones, clothing, and hat.
- step 03
Mix a range of off-white tones for the clothing and hat, adding subtle variations in value and hue.
- step 04
Develop the shadows on the face and hat using muted browns and grays.
- step 05
Add the yellow band on the hat and the red for the lips.
- step 06
Refine the edges of the shapes and add subtle details to the face.
- step 07
Blend the colors softly to create a smooth, slightly textured surface.
- step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre
secondary · cadmium red light · ivory black
Mix various shades of off-white by adding small amounts of raw umber and yellow ochre to titanium white. Use ivory black sparingly to darken shadows. Mix red with white to create the lip color.
techniques
- ·color mixing
- ·soft blending
- ·simplification of form
- ·value control
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details
- →Using too much pure white
- →Creating harsh edges
- →Failing to capture the subtle value changes
- →Not simplifying the facial features enough
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-grain canvas for a slightly textured surface. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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