plate no. 5406

Portait of Maria Teresa de Borbón y Vallabriga

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitchilddoglandscapemountainsdress

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 creating atmospheric perspective in the background landscape.

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 proportions of the figure and the placement of key elements.
step 02
Block in the main color areas: the sky, mountains, figure's dress, and the ground.
step 03
Begin refining the background, paying attention to the subtle color shifts in the mountains and sky.
step 04
Develop the figure's face, using thin layers of paint to build up the form and capture the likeness.
step 05
Work on the details of the dress, focusing on the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 06
Paint the dog, paying attention to the direction of the fur and the highlights.
step 07
Add final details and adjust values as needed.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the painting and add depth.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · ivory black · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt umber · cadmium red light

Mix various shades of blue and white for the sky and dress. Use burnt umber and yellow ochre for the ground and mountains. Add small amounts of red to warm up the skin tones.

techniques