plate no. 4990
Portrait of a young Jewish woman
Meijer de Haan, 1886
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and creating realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in rendering fabric and lace details.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, hat, and background.
- step 02
Establish the dark background using a thin wash of dark color.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, dress, and lace.
- step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
- step 05
Develop the details of the dress, including the folds and shadows.
- step 06
Add the lace details, using a fine brush and light colors.
- step 07
Refine the hat and background, adding subtle details and variations in tone.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red light
secondary · titanium white · yellow ochre · raw sienna
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Create darker tones by adding burnt umber or ivory black. Use white to lighten colors for highlights.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·rendering lace
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
- →Making the lace look too flat and unrealistic.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to thin the paint and improve flow.
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