plate no. 9802
Portrait of a woman
some experience helpful
This painting offers a chance to practice loose brushwork and capturing likeness with simplified forms. Students can learn to mix skin tones and create depth with subtle value changes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and hat.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of neutral tones.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, clothing, and flowers.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the light and shadow.
- step 05
Add details to the hair and clothing with loose, expressive brushstrokes.
- step 06
Mix and apply subtle color variations to create depth and form.
- step 07
Add the flowers, focusing on their shape and color.
- step 08
Review and adjust the overall composition and values.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red light
secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · raw sienna
Mix skin tones by blending white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use black and umber to create the dark tones in the hair and clothing. Add white to these darks to create the lighter tones in the collar.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·color temperature
- ·implied detail
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
- →Using too much paint and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the skin tones.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes size 2-6
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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