plate no. 7898

Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily, 2nd Wife of Franz II

oilNeoclassicismportraitportraitfigurewomanclothinghairheadband

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones with subtle color variations. It also provides practice in depicting fabric and hair textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the oval shape and the basic proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, clothing, and background.
step 03
Begin layering skin tones, focusing on subtle shifts in value and hue to create form.
step 04
Develop the hair, using small, broken strokes to suggest texture and volume.
step 05
Refine the details of the clothing, paying attention to folds and highlights.
step 06
Add details to the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Paint the headband, carefully rendering the stripes and texture.
step 08
Adjust the background and overall color balance to create a harmonious composition.

color palette

primary · titanium white · cadmium red light · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

secondary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ivory black

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and blue. Use burnt umber and white for shadows. Mix red and black for the darker areas of the red clothing.

techniques