plate no. 9146
Marie Leszczyńska, Queen of France, Reading the Bible
Jean-Marc Nattier, 1748
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering fabric textures. It also provides practice in color mixing and creating soft, diffused lighting effects.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the figure's pose and proportions.
- step 02
Block in the main color areas: the red dress, green curtain, and skin tones.
- step 03
Begin refining the facial features, paying attention to light and shadow.
- step 04
Develop the folds and highlights in the dress, using layers of color.
- step 05
Add details to the lace and other embellishments.
- step 06
Work on the background, creating depth and atmosphere.
- step 07
Refine the book and hands, adding subtle details.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of realism.
color palette
primary · cadmium red · viridian green · titanium white
secondary · raw umber · yellow ochre · ivory black
Achieve the dress's red by mixing cadmium red with touches of raw umber and white for highlights and shadows. The green curtain is a mix of viridian green, yellow ochre, and white. Skin tones are achieved with white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of raw umber.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·soft blending
- ·portraiture
- ·fabric rendering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Failing to capture the correct proportions of the figure.
- →Using colors that are too saturated, resulting in a harsh look.
- →Not paying enough attention to the subtle shifts in value.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·viridian green oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·assorted round and flat brushes
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·retouch varnish
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium like linseed oil to improve the flow of the paint.
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