plate no. 3387
Portrait of a Young Woman (Incipient Maternity)
Pellizza da Volpedo, 1891
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding color relationships and creating depth through layering.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and slate on the canvas.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of diluted paint.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin tones, clothing, and the slate.
- step 04
Begin layering and blending colors to create depth and form in the face and hands.
- step 05
Add details to the clothing, paying attention to the patterns and folds.
- step 06
Refine the slate, adding highlights and shadows to give it a three-dimensional appearance.
- step 07
Adjust the overall color balance and value contrast to match the original painting.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · cadmium red
secondary · yellow ochre · viridian green
Mix skin tones using white, umber, and a touch of red. Create the background by mixing blue with white and a hint of green. Achieve the clothing colors by mixing umber, green, and white in varying proportions.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·layering
- ·blending
- ·color mixing
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Over-blending the colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
- →Ignoring the importance of value contrast in creating depth.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·painting medium
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a glazing medium to enhance the depth and luminosity of the colors.
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