plate no. 9448

Mary Chamberlain

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitfiguretableflowerstea setdress

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as practice depicting fabric and still life elements.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure and objects.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of burnt umber and raw sienna.
step 03
Block in the main shapes and values of the figure, dress, and tea set.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to light and shadow.
step 05
Develop the details of the dress, including the folds, ruffles, and lace.
step 06
Add details to the tea set and flowers, focusing on their textures and colors.
step 07
Refine the background and add any final details.
step 08
Varnish the painting to protect it and enhance the colors.

color palette

primary · raw sienna · burnt umber · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · alizarin crimson · cadmium yellow · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing raw sienna, burnt umber, alizarin crimson, and titanium white. Create the dress color by mixing titanium white, ultramarine blue, and a touch of burnt umber.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·blending
·scumbling
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Not paying enough attention to the light and shadow.
→Using colors that are too saturated.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (raw sienna, burnt umber, titanium white, ivory black, alizarin crimson, cadmium yellow, ultramarine blue)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags