plate no. 4121
Portrait of a Girl (Study for Youth of St. Sergiy Radonezhsky)
Mikhaïl Nesterov, 1890
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and using subtle color variations to create form. It also provides practice in loose, expressive brushwork.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and hair.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of muted greens and grays.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color on the face, using a mix of yellows, ochres, and reds.
- step 04
Define the shadows and highlights on the face to create form and depth.
- step 05
Paint the hair, using a variety of browns and blacks, and pay attention to the direction of the brushstrokes to suggest the flow of the hair.
- step 06
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, using small brushes and precise strokes.
- step 07
Paint the clothing, using a limited palette of dark colors and loose brushstrokes.
- step 08
Refine the painting, adjusting colors, values, and edges as needed.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light
Mix yellow ochre and white for the skin base. Use burnt umber and ultramarine for dark shadows. Add a touch of cadmium red to the cheeks and lips for warmth.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·alla prima
- ·color mixing
- ·blending
- ·expressive brushwork
common pitfalls
- →Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
- →Getting the proportions wrong, leading to a distorted likeness.
- →Using too much detail, which can make the painting look overworked.
- →Failing to capture the subtle nuances of light and shadow.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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