plate no. 8883

Lavinie Barbier-Walbonne

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfigurewomanclothinghairhands

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, subtle skin tone blending, and rendering soft drapery. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and atmosphere through tonal variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the main shapes and proportions of the figure.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin, even layer of muted color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, hair, clothing, and shawl.
step 04
Begin layering and blending skin tones, paying attention to subtle shifts in value and hue.
step 05
Add details to the hair, focusing on the curls and highlights.
step 06
Refine the clothing and shawl, adding folds and shadows.
step 07
Add details to the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition, ensuring a harmonious balance of color and tone.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and raw umber. The background is a mix of ivory black and raw umber. The red shawl is cadmium red light with touches of burnt sienna and ivory black for shadows.

techniques