plate no. 3147

Portrait of a lady (Alzire Irma Maillart, née Demontreille?)

oil, canvasAcademicismportraitportraitfigurewomanhairclothingface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and creating subtle value shifts to model form. It also provides practice in mixing skin tones and rendering soft edges.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and facial features.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, clothing, and background.
step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in value and color.
step 05
Develop the features of the face, focusing on accurate proportions and details.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the hair, adding texture and individual strands.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition and color balance.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue · raw sienna

Mix skin tones by combining white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red. Use blue and black to create cool shadows. Add raw sienna to warm up the skin tones.

techniques