plate no. 9726

Little Girl

oilAcademicismportraitportraitfiguregirlclothinghairface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering subtle skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting fabric and creating a sense of depth through value and color.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and background oval.
step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and clothing with thin washes of color.
step 03
Block in the background with dark greens and browns, paying attention to the oval shape.
step 04
Begin layering colors on the face, building up the skin tones with subtle variations.
step 05
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the likeness.
step 06
Paint the hair, using loose brushstrokes to suggest texture and volume.
step 07
Render the clothing, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · ivory black

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Achieve the dark background by blending viridian green and burnt umber. Use white and yellow ochre for highlights on the clothing.

techniques

·portrait painting
·layering
·blending
·scumbling
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones and losing the freshness.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the light and shadow.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, cadmium red, viridian green, ivory black)
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette knife