plate no. 8782

Maria Van Rysselberghe with Crossed Arms

Theo van Rysselberghe, 1913

oil, panelPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfigurewomanclothinginteriorchair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and capturing subtle light and shadow. It will also help with understanding how to depict fabric and textures with visible brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and arms.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of muted tones.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, hair, clothing, and chair, paying attention to the overall value structure.
step 04
Begin refining the skin tones by layering different shades of pink, yellow, and brown, blending softly.
step 05
Add details to the hair, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 06
Work on the clothing, capturing the folds and shadows with darker values and visible brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to the subtle nuances of expression.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create a sense of depth.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · ivory black

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and umber. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create a range of dark neutrals for the clothing and shadows. Mix viridian green with white and yellow for the window.

techniques

·portraiture
·color mixing
·layering
·blending
·broken brushstrokes

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the skin tones, resulting in a flat and lifeless appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle nuances of light and shadow on the face.
→Using colors that are too saturated, resulting in an unnatural look.
→Ignoring the overall value structure of the painting, leading to a lack of depth.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, ultramarine blue, cadmium red, viridian green, ivory black)
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags