plate no. 9975
Nude in Profile
Balthus, 1975
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in subtle color mixing for skin tones and creating depth through layering and glazing. It also provides practice in rendering the human form with simplified shapes and soft edges.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
2
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the figure and the background elements.
- step 02
Establish the overall warm tone of the canvas with a thin wash of burnt sienna or raw umber.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the figure, the towel, and the background, focusing on the overall value relationships.
- step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, using subtle variations of pink, yellow, and brown.
- step 05
Add details to the face, hands, and feet, paying attention to the subtle shifts in value and color.
- step 06
Refine the background, adding texture and depth with broken brushstrokes and glazes.
- step 07
Adjust the overall values and colors to create a sense of harmony and unity.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create a sense of realism.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna
secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light · ivory black
Achieve skin tones by mixing white with small amounts of red, yellow, and brown. Use thin glazes of color to build up depth and luminosity.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·soft blending
- ·color layering
- ·limited palette
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones and losing the subtle variations in color.
- →Creating harsh edges and losing the soft, atmospheric quality of the painting.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure before adding color.
- →Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Allow each layer to dry before applying the next.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
related artworks
Dolly Sisters
Kees van Dongen
Nude with Loaves
Jean Helion
My Father
Carlos Botelho
Helen
Chronis Botsoglou
The portrait painter in the country
Albin Egger-Lienz
Marketta on Lázeňská street, Prague
Maria Bozoky
Winter at the Entrepotdok, in Amsterdam city
Paul Werner
Old Woman with Masks (Theatre of Masks)
James Ensor