plate no. 7597
Lucrezia di Baccio del Fede, the Artist's Wife
Andrea del Sarto, 1514
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It will also provide practice in blending and creating subtle gradations of light and shadow.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Prepare the canvas with a toned ground (e.g., burnt umber wash).
- step 02
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, paying attention to the placement of key features.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
- step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, using thin glazes of color to build up depth and luminosity.
- step 05
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Paint the clothing, paying attention to the folds and drapery.
- step 07
Add the jewelry and headwear, carefully rendering the details.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to achieve a sense of realism and harmony.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · cadmium red
secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, sienna, and a touch of red. Use umber and black to create shadows. Mix red and umber for the dress.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·portraiture
- ·blending
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the skin tones and losing the luminosity.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Not paying enough attention to the subtle gradations of light and shadow.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·mahogany palette
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to improve the flow and blending of the paints.
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