plate no. 3368

Portrait of a lady with a child

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfiguresclothingdraperychildmother

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, skin tone mixing, and rendering of fabric textures. It also provides practice in capturing subtle light and shadow variations to create depth and form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch, focusing on accurate proportions and placement of the figures.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors of the background, drapery, and clothing.
step 03
Begin layering the skin tones, starting with mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
step 04
Refine the details of the faces, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the textures of the clothing, using subtle brushstrokes to create folds and highlights.
step 06
Add details to the hair, jewelry, and other accessories.
step 07
Refine the overall composition and adjust values as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · cadmium red · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · raw sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing titanium white, cadmium red, yellow ochre, and a touch of ultramarine blue. Create the blue dress by mixing ultramarine blue with titanium white and a touch of ivory black for shadows.

techniques

·portraiture
·blending
·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Inaccurate proportions of the figures.
→Overly harsh or muddy skin tones.
→Failure to capture the subtle variations in light and shadow.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall harmony of the painting.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, ivory black, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, raw sienna)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags or paper towels