plate no. 1933

Portrait of a ballerina A.D. Danilova in costume for the ballet Armida's Pavilion

Zinaida Serebriakova, 1922

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)portraitportraitballerinacostumefiguredressfeathers

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and subtle skin tones, as well as rendering fabric and decorative details with soft brushwork. It also provides practice in creating a harmonious color palette with muted tones.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and torso.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of neutral color, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, dress, and feathers, using a limited palette of muted tones.
step 04
Begin to refine the facial features, focusing on capturing the likeness and subtle expressions.
step 05
Develop the details of the dress, including the folds, ruffles, and decorative elements, using soft brushwork and subtle color variations.
step 06
Add the details of the feathers and headpiece, paying attention to the texture and form.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting the values and colors as needed to create a harmonious and balanced image.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to bring the painting to life.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna · viridian

secondary · ultramarine blue · rose madder · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, raw umber, and a touch of rose madder. Use viridian and raw umber to create the green of the dress, and ultramarine blue and white for the feathers. Mute colors by adding a touch of complementary color.

techniques