plate no. 6052
Miss Emily
Lana Kanyo, 2019
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, skin tone mixing, and rendering fine details like lace. It also provides practice in creating soft, diffused lighting and subtle color variations.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch of the oval frame, the girl's head and shoulders, and the umbrella, paying attention to proportions.
- step 02
Block in the background colors: dark red and black, blending smoothly.
- step 03
Establish the basic skin tones using a limited palette of warm and cool colors.
- step 04
Begin building up the facial features, focusing on accurate placement and subtle shading.
- step 05
Paint the hair, using layers of dark and light browns to create depth and texture.
- step 06
Start rendering the lace details, using a fine brush and light, delicate strokes.
- step 07
Paint the umbrella, paying attention to the subtle color variations and the cast shadows.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to the face, hair, dress, and umbrella.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · cadmium red
secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · ivory black
Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of blue. Lace is created with white and very small amounts of blue and gray. The background uses a mix of red and black, lightened with white for highlights.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·rendering lace
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Overworking the lace details, making them look too heavy.
- →Using too much paint, resulting in a muddy or overworked appearance.
- →Failing to create a smooth transition between the background colors.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 0, 2, 4)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 6)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will make it easier to blend the colors.
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