plate no. 7939

Little girl with a puppet

oil, canvasAcademicismportraitportraitgirldollhairdressfigure

some experience helpful

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

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the girl, doll, and background.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of neutral color.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the skin, hair, dress, and doll.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the details of the hair, using a variety of brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to the dress and doll to create a sense of form.
step 07
Refine the background and add any final details.
step 08
Add the frame last.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red · ivory black · raw sienna

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and umber. Achieve the blue of the dress by mixing ultramarine with white and a touch of umber. Use burnt umber and black for the dark background.

techniques