plate no. 4910

Model Aline Masson

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitwomanflowershatfurfoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as understanding how to create depth and texture with visible brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with a thin wash of color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, paying attention to subtle color variations.
step 04
Define the features of the face, focusing on accurate placement and proportions.
step 05
Add details to the hair, hat, and flowers, using a variety of brushstrokes.
step 06
Render the fur coat, using short, broken strokes to create texture.
step 07
Refine the background foliage, using a loose, impressionistic style.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to bring the painting to life.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · viridian · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson

Mix skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Create dark greens by mixing black and viridian, and lighten with yellow ochre.

techniques

·portraiture
·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones and losing the freshness of the paint.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Making the background too detailed and distracting from the figure.
→Not creating enough contrast between light and shadow.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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