plate no. 8388
Madame Louise Mares
Alexandre Cabanel, 1851
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle value gradations to create form. It also offers practice in rendering textures like fabric and lace.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure and book.
- step 02
Establish the background with a dark, muted tone, creating depth.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, dress, and book with basic colors.
- step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
- step 05
Develop the details of the dress, including folds, highlights, and shadows.
- step 06
Paint the book, focusing on the details of the pages and illustrations.
- step 07
Add the lace details, using a fine brush and light colors.
- step 08
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and adding final details.
color palette
primary · ivory black · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna
secondary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre · viridian
Mix various shades of black and brown with white to create the dress and background. Use small amounts of alizarin crimson and yellow ochre to create realistic skin tones. Mix viridian and white for the green accents on the chair.
techniques
- ·portrait painting
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·rendering fabric
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Using too much paint and losing the subtle value gradations.
- →Struggling with the rendering of the lace.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will help with blending.
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