plate no. 0104
Mrs Alec Tweedie
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as practicing the illusion of texture, particularly in the lace details.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and dress.
- step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of grey.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin tones, hair, dress, and ribbon.
- step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
- step 05
Develop the details of the hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 06
Carefully render the lace, focusing on the pattern and the interplay of light and shadow.
- step 07
Add the ribbon, paying attention to its folds and highlights.
- step 08
Refine the overall composition and add any final details.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ivory black · cadmium red light · yellow ochre
secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber
Skin tones can be achieved by mixing titanium white, cadmium red light, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt umber. Use ultramarine blue and white for the ribbon.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·blending
- ·glazing
- ·rendering lace
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the skin tones and making them look muddy.
- →Failing to capture the delicate texture of the lace.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·assorted round and flat brushes
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium-sized canvas (e.g., 16x20 inches) is recommended.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
related artworks
Romantic Landscape
Karl Lessing
Self-portrait with his brother Francesco
Giuseppe Tominz
Oenone Refuse de Secourir Pâris au Siège de Troie
Léon Cogniet
Duke of Alba
Francisco Goya
Blick Aus Dem Wald Ins Tal
Andreas Achenbach
Young Girl Fixing Her Hair
Sophie Gengembre Anderson
The Plough Inn
William Shayer
Hudson River Landscape
Johann Hermann Carmiencke