plate no. 8153

Portrait of a Woman in a Black Tie

Amedeo Modigliani, 1917

oil, canvasExpressionismportraitportraitwomanfigureclothinghairtie

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice simplified form representation and expressive brushwork. It also provides an opportunity to explore color mixing for skin tones and subtle background variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the figure, focusing on proportions and pose.
step 02
Block in the background with a muted green-brown color, varying the tones slightly.
step 03
Establish the skin tones with a base layer of light ochre, adding touches of red for the cheeks and lips.
step 04
Paint the hair with dark brown and black, using loose, expressive brushstrokes.
step 05
Define the shirt with white, adding subtle shadows with gray and green.
step 06
Paint the black tie with bold, confident strokes.
step 07
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the simplified forms and subtle shading.
step 08
Add final details and adjust colors as needed to match the original painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

secondary · ivory black · sap green

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, titanium white, and a touch of cadmium red light. Create background variations by mixing raw umber, sap green, and white.

techniques