plate no. 8518
Portrait of a young child
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, subtle color mixing for skin tones, and rendering soft, diffused lighting. It will also provide practice in capturing the likeness and expression of a subject.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, neck, and shoulders.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of burnt umber and yellow ochre.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of light and shadow on the face, using a limited palette of skin tones.
- step 04
Develop the hair, focusing on the overall shape and direction of the curls.
- step 05
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Add details to the clothing, such as the lace trim and blue ribbons.
- step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a sense of depth and realism.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to the eyes and hair to bring the portrait to life.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre · cadmium red light
secondary · ultramarine blue · ivory black
Achieve skin tones by mixing titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium red light, and a touch of yellow ochre. Use ultramarine blue and ivory black to create the blue ribbons and shadows in the hair.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·blending
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·chiaroscuro
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the skin tones and losing the subtle variations in color.
- →Making the hair too uniform and lacking in texture.
- →Ignoring the importance of light and shadow in creating form.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium-grain canvas will provide a good surface for blending and layering.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
