plate no. 0863

Lilly Langtry

Herbert Gustave Schmalz (Herbert Carmichael), 1900

oilRomanticismportraitportraitwomandressflowersbirdbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as practicing fabric folds and floral details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
step 02
Block in the background with thin washes of color, establishing the overall tone.
step 03
Begin layering the skin tones, starting with mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
step 04
Paint the dress, paying attention to the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 05
Add the floral details, focusing on color variations and form.
step 06
Refine the facial features, capturing the likeness of the subject.
step 07
Paint the bird and background details.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · titanium white · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

secondary · raw umber · cadmium red · violet · sap green

Mix skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, and a touch of ultramarine blue. Achieve the dress color by mixing violet with white and a hint of brown for shadows.

techniques

·blending
·glazing
·layering
·scumbling
·dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the fabric.
→Getting lost in the details too early, before establishing the overall composition.