plate no. 6751

Niña Leyendo

Maria Blanchard, 1928

oilExpressionismportraitfigureportraitchildreadingbooktable

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing mood with a limited palette and using expressive brushstrokes to suggest form rather than define it precisely. It also provides practice in depicting light and shadow on a figure.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, book, and table.
step 02
Block in the background with dark browns and blacks, leaving space for the figure.
step 03
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the figure using a limited palette of reds, browns, and whites.
step 04
Apply thicker paint with visible brushstrokes to define the form and create texture.
step 05
Mix lighter tones to highlight the face, hands, and book, paying attention to the direction of light.
step 06
Add darker accents to define the shadows and create depth.
step 07
Refine the details of the face and hands, but maintain the expressive brushwork.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to achieve a cohesive and atmospheric effect.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

Achieve the skin tones by mixing burnt sienna, white, and small amounts of cadmium red light. Darken the browns with burnt umber and black. Use yellow ochre to create highlights on the hair and face.

techniques