plate no. 5074

Portrait of a young woman

wood, temperaEarly Renaissancereligious paintingportraitwomanrenaissanceprofilehairjewelry

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of skin tones, as well as practicing detailed rendering of hair and jewelry.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, neck, and shoulders.
step 02
Outline the main features of the face, paying attention to the profile.
step 03
Block in the background with a dark, even tone.
step 04
Establish the base skin tone and begin layering highlights and shadows.
step 05
Paint the hair, focusing on the overall shape and then adding details like individual strands and braids.
step 06
Render the clothing, including the folds and details of the fabric.
step 07
Add the jewelry and other accessories, paying close attention to their reflective qualities.
step 08
Refine the details and make any necessary adjustments to the overall composition.

color palette

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

secondary · ivory black · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, raw umber, and titanium white, adding small amounts of cadmium red for warmth. Use ivory black and ultramarine blue to create the dark background.

techniques