plate no. 2443
Portrait of a Young Girl with Flower
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in capturing a likeness and conveying a sense of light and shadow.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and flower.
- step 02
Establish the background with broad strokes of muted greens and browns.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of light and shadow on the face, using a limited palette of skin tones.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
- step 05
Paint the clothing with loose, visible brushstrokes, capturing the folds and textures.
- step 06
Add the flower with bold strokes of pink and purple.
- step 07
Adjust the overall composition and refine the details as needed.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create depth.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre
secondary · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue · sap green
Mix skin tones by blending white, umber, ochre, and a touch of crimson. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create the darker tones in the background and hair. Mix pinks and purples for the flower by combining alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue with white.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Using too much paint and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to capture the correct proportions and likeness.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider toning the canvas with a thin wash of burnt umber before starting.
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