plate no. 1180
Portrait of a woman
Émile Auguste Hublin, 1861
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting fabric textures and subtle gradations of light and shadow.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic oval composition and the placement of the figure.
- step 02
Lightly block in the main shapes: head, torso, chair, and background.
- step 03
Establish the dark values of the dress and hair, and the lighter values of the skin.
- step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to proportions and subtle variations in tone.
- step 05
Develop the details of the lace collar and cuffs, using small brushstrokes and highlights.
- step 06
Add the red accents of the jewelry and chair, and the gold details of the bracelet.
- step 07
Refine the background and blend the edges of the figure to create a sense of depth.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the realism of the portrait.
color palette
primary · ivory black · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna
secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre
Mix various shades of gray by combining ivory black and titanium white. Use raw umber to create muted browns and shadows. Add small amounts of cadmium red to create the flesh tones and the red accents.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·blending
- ·glazing
- ·rendering
- ·chiaroscuro
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Overworking the details of the lace.
- →Making the skin tones too flat or lifeless.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 0, 2, 4)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 6, 8)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium like linseed oil to improve the flow of the paint and create a smoother finish.
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