plate no. 0579
Portrait of a Woman
Robert Campin, 1430
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting helps develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle color blending for skin tones. It also provides practice in rendering fabric folds and textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Prepare the canvas with a neutral ground.
- step 02
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, headscarf, and hands, paying attention to proportions.
- step 03
Block in the background with a dark, even tone.
- step 04
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and headscarf using thin washes of color.
- step 05
Begin layering and blending colors to refine the skin tones, focusing on subtle transitions.
- step 06
Develop the folds and highlights of the headscarf, using variations in white and gray.
- step 07
Paint the details of the clothing and hand, including the ring.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to the face and headscarf to create depth and realism.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ivory black · yellow ochre · burnt umber
secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue
Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Shadows are created by adding burnt umber and a hint of blue. The headscarf is primarily white with subtle gray shadows mixed from black and white.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Inaccurate proportions of the face and head.
- →Overly harsh or muddy skin tones.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in the white headscarf.
- →Ignoring the importance of light and shadow in creating form.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 0, 2, 4)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·varnish
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will aid in blending.
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