plate no. 0188

Louise Olgin

oilPost-Impressionismportraitportraitwomanhatfigureclothinghair

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in color mixing for skin tones and capturing likeness through loose brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, hat, and shoulders.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin wash of yellow ochre.
step 03
Establish the main shadow shapes on the face and hat using a mix of browns and blues.
step 04
Begin building up the skin tones with layers of pinks, yellows, and whites, blending softly.
step 05
Define the features (eyes, nose, mouth) with darker values and subtle color variations.
step 06
Paint the hat with broad strokes of green, adding details like the ribbon and brim.
step 07
Add the dark clothing, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
step 08
Refine the details and edges, adjusting values and colors as needed.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · raw sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and small amounts of red and blue. Use burnt umber and ultramarine blue for shadows. Mix viridian green and yellow ochre for the hat.

techniques