plate no. 3539

Portrait d'Odette Désirée Thérèse Godefroy de Suresnes

oilRomanticismportraitportraitwomanfurdresshairfigure

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, subtle skin tone variations, and rendering textures like fur and fabric. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and form through careful value control.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and fur.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin, even layer of dark neutral color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin tones, hair, dress, and fur, focusing on accurate values.
step 04
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending colors to create smooth transitions and subtle variations.
step 05
Add details to the hair, using small brushstrokes to define the curls and highlights.
step 06
Work on the dress, paying attention to the folds and shadows to create a sense of volume.
step 07
Render the fur by layering different shades of brown and gray, using short, broken brushstrokes to simulate the texture.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to the face, hair, and fur to bring the portrait to life.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and blue. Fur colors are created by blending various shades of brown and gray, with highlights of white and yellow ochre.

techniques