plate no. 6753

Mrs. Thomas Fuller (Mary Fuller)

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfigureclothinghistoricalwoman

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle value gradations for realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in rendering fabric and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, paying attention to the head, shoulders, and hands.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of neutral color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, clothing, and accessories.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, focusing on accurate placement and subtle value changes.
step 05
Develop the details of the clothing, including the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 06
Add the highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the background and edges to create a sense of atmosphere.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

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

secondary · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, raw umber, burnt sienna, and small amounts of alizarin crimson and yellow ochre. Darker areas use more raw umber and black. The clothing uses mixtures of black, blue, and white.

techniques

·portrait sketching
·value studies
·glazing
·blending
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the face
→Overly harsh or flat skin tones
→Lack of attention to detail in the clothing
→Ignoring subtle value changes

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (titanium white, ivory black, raw umber, burnt sienna, alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags