plate no. 2117
Portrait de madame Dotézac
Leon Bonnat, 1902
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and capturing the texture of fabric and hair using visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in creating a soft, diffused background.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and dress, paying attention to proportions.
- step 02
Block in the background with a mix of greens and browns, using loose brushstrokes.
- step 03
Establish the basic skin tones using a limited palette of white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red.
- step 04
Begin to define the features of the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 05
Paint the hair, using short, broken strokes to create texture and volume.
- step 06
Block in the colors and patterns of the dress, simplifying the details at first.
- step 07
Add details to the dress, hair, and face, refining the shapes and colors.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ivory black
secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · raw umber
Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Greens are created by mixing yellow and blue, with a touch of brown to dull the color. The dress requires mixing a variety of floral colors.
techniques
- ·portrait painting
- ·alla prima
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a flat or lifeless appearance.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Making the background too detailed or distracting.
- →Failing to capture the texture of the hair and dress.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·oil paints (titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ivory black, cadmium red, viridian green, raw umber)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·rags
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
- ·mahl stick
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Experiment with different brush sizes and shapes to achieve the desired effects.
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