plate no. 5276

Madame Pasteur

oil, canvasNeoclassicismportraitportraitwomandressjewelryfigurehair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as rendering fabric and creating a sense of depth.

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 figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and arms.
step 02
Block in the background with a dark, neutral tone.
step 03
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face, dress, and hands using thin washes of color.
step 04
Begin layering colors to build up the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in hue and value.
step 05
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Paint the dress, focusing on the folds and drapery, and the black sash.
step 07
Add the jewelry and other accessories.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red and blue for shadows. Achieve the dress's highlights by adding more white to the base color. The black sash is a mix of ivory black and burnt umber.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·blending
·chiaroscuro
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in value and color.
→Ignoring the importance of light and shadow.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre, burnt umber, ultramarine blue, cadmium red light)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife
·rags