Portrait of a Young Woman

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · ivory black · ultramarine blue · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red · titanium white · yellow ochre

Achieve the muted tones by mixing black and blue with touches of umber and white. Use red sparingly for the flower and subtle accents.

techniques

• ·chiaroscuro
• ·scumbling
• ·alla prima
• ·portraiture
• ·glazing

common pitfalls

• →Overworking the details, losing the loose, painterly feel.
• →Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
• →Making the dark areas too flat and lifeless.
• →Failing to capture the subtle nuances of the facial expression.