plate no. 8619
Madame Brunet
Edouard Manet, 1865
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering fabric textures. It also provides practice in creating depth using subtle value changes and loose brushwork.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic proportions and pose of the figure on the canvas.
- step 02
Block in the background with broad strokes of brown, ochre, and green.
- step 03
Establish the dark values of the dress and hat, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
- step 04
Begin to refine the facial features, focusing on accurate placement and subtle value changes.
- step 05
Add highlights to the face, hands, and dress to create form and dimension.
- step 06
Develop the details of the lace trim and other embellishments.
- step 07
Refine the background, adding details to suggest trees and foliage.
- step 08
Add final touches and glazes to unify the painting and enhance the colors.
color palette
primary · ivory black · burnt umber · raw sienna
secondary · titanium white · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson
Mix blacks with umber and sienna to avoid a flat, lifeless black. Use white sparingly to create highlights and subtle value changes. Mix small amounts of alizarin crimson with white to create the skin tones.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·scumbling
- ·glazing
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly quality.
- →Using too much black and creating a muddy, dull effect.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Ignoring the subtle value changes that create form and dimension.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·varnish
Use a canvas with a smooth surface to allow for detailed brushwork. Consider using a medium to improve the flow and blending of the oil paints.
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