plate no. 7009

Little Girl Holding Flowers, Portrait of Nancy Graham

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfigurechilddressflowersdark background

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly capturing likeness and subtle skin tones, as well as understanding how to create depth and atmosphere with a limited palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the figure, focusing on proportions and pose.
step 02
Block in the background with dark, muted tones, establishing the overall value structure.
step 03
Establish the light source and begin to build up the form of the face with thin layers of paint, focusing on highlights and shadows.
step 04
Develop the dress, paying attention to the folds and how light interacts with the fabric.
step 05
Paint the hands and flowers, simplifying the details and focusing on the overall impression.
step 06
Refine the facial features, adding details to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a sense of harmony and depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

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

secondary · alizarin crimson · burnt sienna

Mix various shades of skin tones by combining titanium white, yellow ochre, and small amounts of burnt sienna and alizarin crimson. Use ivory black and raw umber for the dark background, adding small amounts of yellow ochre to create subtle variations.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the face, resulting in a stiff or unnatural appearance.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure, leading to a flat or muddy painting.
→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated, which can detract from the overall mood.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags