plate no. 1299

Portrait of a Woman

oilBaroqueportraitportraitwomandresslacejewelryhair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and capturing likeness, as well as techniques for rendering fabric and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic proportions and pose of the woman.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, muted green.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the face, hair, and dress with basic colors.
step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Develop the details of the hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Work on the dress, rendering the folds and highlights of the fabric.
step 07
Add the lace and jewelry, focusing on their intricate details.
step 08
Glaze and adjust values to create depth and realism.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · raw sienna

Mix various shades of skin tones by combining white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Achieve the dress color by mixing red with umber and black, adding white for highlights.

techniques

·portrait painting
·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the details too early.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and volume.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints (ivory black, burnt umber, cadmium red, titanium white, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, raw sienna)
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Rags