plate no. 2911

Old Woman with a Splint Basket

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitwomanbasketlandscapefieldbuilding

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting textures, such as the woven basket and the fabric of the clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure, basket, and background elements.
step 02
Establish the main value ranges with a thin wash of color, paying attention to the light and shadow patterns.
step 03
Begin blocking in the skin tones, mixing a range of colors to capture the subtle variations in light and shadow.
step 04
Develop the details of the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth to capture the likeness of the subject.
step 05
Paint the basket, paying attention to the woven texture and the way light interacts with the surface.
step 06
Refine the clothing, adding details such as folds and wrinkles to create a sense of volume.
step 07
Develop the background, adding details such as the trees, building, and field to create a sense of depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall sense of realism.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · raw sienna

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light · ivory black

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt umber, and titanium white, adding small amounts of cadmium red for warmth and ultramarine blue for cool shadows. Create the greens in the background by mixing yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and a touch of burnt umber.

techniques