plate no. 5942

Mrs. David Curtis Deforest (Julia Wooster)

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitwomandresshatjewelrychair

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 mixing subtle skin tones and creating a sense of depth through layering.

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 overall value structure with a thin wash of color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the dress, hat, and skin tones.
step 04
Develop the details of the face, paying attention to the subtle shifts in value and color.
step 05
Refine the details of the dress, hat, and jewelry, adding highlights and shadows.
step 06
Add the details of the chair and patterned shawl.
step 07
Blend and refine the edges of the forms to create a soft, naturalistic effect.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · ivory black · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre · cadmium red light

Mix skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red; use blue and white for the dress, adding small amounts of umber for shadows. Achieve the background color by mixing burnt umber and black, with subtle variations using red.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·blending
·fabric rendering

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of form.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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