plate no. 9785

Portrait of a Lady with Her Daughter

oilBaroqueportraitportraitfiguresclothingdraperyjewelrysky

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding how to depict complex textures like fabric and jewelry.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figures.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors of the background, including the sky and drapery.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones and features of the faces, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 04
Begin layering details on the clothing, focusing on the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 05
Add the intricate details of the jewelry and other accessories.
step 06
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and colors as needed.
step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Glaze to unify the painting and enhance the colors.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · gold

Mix various shades of skin tones using white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of burnt umber. Achieve the dark blacks by mixing ivory black with a touch of burnt umber.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subjects.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (ivory black, titanium white, cadmium red, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt umber)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette
·palette knife