plate no. 6884
Portrait of a girl A Sleeve-board
recreation guide
This artwork, 'Portrait of a girl A Sleeve-board,' is a drawing by Honoré Daumier, executed in pencil and stump. Daumier is historically recognized as a serious painter and printmaker whose work, while loosely associated with Realism, often blurred the boundaries between caricature and fine art (Source 6). His approach to the human figure was characterized by a 'keen sense of construction' and an understanding of structure, allowing him to render the form with success despite the complex effects of light and shade (Source 3). Unlike many contemporaries who focused on idealized beauty, Daumier’s realism was described as a 'second nature,' capturing the truthfulness of his subjects without necessarily adhering to the ideological strictures of the Realist movement (Source 8). This piece likely reflects his habit of exploring subjects repetitively to exhaust their thematic potential, focusing on the character and action of the sitter rather than mere decorative likeness (Source 8).
estimated time
10-15 hours over 3-4 sessions
materials
4 items
steps
4 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Graphite pencils (various hardness, e.g., 2B-6B) | To create the initial outline and internal drawing, allowing for varied line weight and shadow indication. | — |
| Paper stump (tortillon) | To blend and soften graphite marks, creating the 'half-tones' and smooth transitions characteristic of Daumier's stump work. | — |
| Medium-grain paper (e.g., toned or white) | To provide a surface that accepts both dry graphite and blended stump work without excessive tooth. | — |
| Kneaded eraser | To lift graphite for highlights and correct proportions, essential for the 'scientific basis' of construction. | — |
preparation
surface prep
The surface should be clean and free of oils. While Daumier often worked on paper for lithography and drawing, the source notes that for crayon-like media, the support should have a 'rough natural surface' or be prepared to hold the powder-like medium (Source 4). For a pencil and stump drawing, a standard drawing paper with slight tooth is appropriate to allow the stump to blend effectively without smearing excessively.
underdrawing
Daumier’s approach to the figure relied on a 'synthetic method reasoned carefully from beginning to end,' where the element of chance is not allowed a place (Source 1). The underdrawing should focus on the 'construction of the figure,' ensuring that proportions 'dovetail and fit' like a map (Source 1). The artist must possess a 'clear knowledge of its intricate forms' and a 'habit of simple treatment' to apply this knowledge artistically (Source 3). The initial lines should establish the 'bony structure' and 'location, attachment and function of the muscles' before adding surface details (Source 3).
underpainting
Not applicable for this dry medium. However, the concept of 'body-colors' where transparency varies with the medium is relevant to understanding how Daumier might have approached tonal values in other media; here, the 'underpainting' equivalent is the initial light graphite sketch that establishes the 'decided shadows' and 'half-tones' (Source 1).
color palette
Graphite Grey/Black
Pure graphite
General use in this artist's palette for line and shadow.
Paper White/Tone
Unmarked paper
Highlights and mid-tones, preserved by careful erasing or light application.
composition
Daumier characteristically focused on the 'human figure' rather than landscapes, often depicting working people or domestic scenes with a critical eye on class distinctions (Source 8). The composition likely emphasizes the 'action' and 'character' of the sitter, using the sleeve-board as a contextual prop that defines her social role. The arrangement should feel 'synthetically considered,' with every element fitting together logically (Source 1).
step by step
underdrawing→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Begin with a light, structural sketch of the figure, focusing on the 'bony structure' and 'muscle attachment' points. Ensure the proportions are correct, checking that 'everything must dovetail and fit' (Source 1).
Tip — Avoid detailing the face or clothing until the underlying anatomy is solid. Think of it as drawing a map where every county (body part) must fit (Source 1).
Structural Construction
refining
step 02
Indicate 'decided shadows' and 'half-tones' using the pencil. This step involves 'internal drawing' to judge proportion and prove the correctness of the outline (Source 1).
Tip — Use the pencil to block in the major light and shadow areas, treating the form as a three-dimensional solid (Source 3).
Shadow Mapping
step 03
Use the stump to blend the graphite, creating smooth transitions between tones. This mimics the 'half-tones' mentioned in the construction process, softening the hard lines of the initial sketch.
Tip — Be careful not to over-blend, which can lose the 'internal drawing' structure. The goal is to render the 'surface of the body' enveloped in light and shade (Source 3).
Stump Blending
finishing
step 04
Refine the 'character' and 'action' of the figure. Daumier’s realism was a 'second nature,' so focus on the truthful representation of the sitter’s posture and expression, avoiding idealization (Source 8).
Tip — Check for 'harmony' in the tonal values, ensuring that the 'gradation of lights and shades' is pleasing even if not strictly 'true' to every minute detail (Source 5).
Character Rendering
critical techniques
Synthetic Construction
A method where the figure is built from a 'scientific basis,' reasoning from beginning to end without chance. This involves understanding the 'intricate forms' and 'bony structure' beneath the surface (Source 1, Source 3).
Stump Blending
Using a stump to soften graphite marks, creating the 'half-tones' and smooth tonal transitions that define Daumier’s drawing style. This technique allows for the rendering of 'light and shade' and 'delicate tone' (Source 3).
Realistic Observation
Daumier’s realism was not an ideological choice but a 'second nature,' capturing the 'truthfulness of his vision' and 'powerful directness' (Source 8). This involves observing the 'character' and 'action' of the subject rather than idealizing them.
common pitfalls
- →Focusing on surface details (clothing, facial features) before establishing the underlying 'construction' and 'proportion' (Source 1).
- →Allowing 'chance' to dictate the drawing rather than using a 'synthetic method reasoned carefully from beginning to end' (Source 1).
- →Over-blending with the stump, which can obscure the 'internal drawing' and 'bony structure' necessary for a successful figure rendering (Source 3).
- →Ignoring the 'harmony' of tones, resulting in a picture that may be 'true' in color but 'offend in its gradation of lights and shades' (Source 5).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific details of the girl’s clothing, facial expression, or the exact layout of the sleeve-board are not described in the sources, so these must be inferred from general knowledge of Daumier’s domestic scenes or left to the artist’s discretion.
- ·The exact type of paper Daumier used for this specific drawing is not specified, though general practices for crayon/pencil are discussed (Source 4).
- ·The specific lighting conditions of the original scene are not described, so the artist must decide on the light source based on general principles of shadow and half-tone (Source 1).
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- FORESHORTENING OF THE LEGS LINES CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIGURE — applied to Underdrawing and structural construction steps
The Human Figure↗
- DRAWING THE HUMAN FIGURE — applied to Understanding anatomy, construction, and the use of stump for tonal blending
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- CHAPTER XII. CRAYONS, DISTEMPERING, EGG-PAINTING, WATER — applied to Understanding tonal harmony and the nature of dry media
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Honore Daumier↗
- part 1 and part 8 — applied to Artist’s style, realism, and approach to character
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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