plate no. 5357

Portrait of a young woman with red hat

Paula Modersohn-Becker, 1900

oilExpressionismportraitportraitwomanhatclothingfigureface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in creating subtle gradations and soft edges.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, hat, and shoulders.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of ochre and umber.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hat, clothing, and hair.
step 04
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending different shades of yellow, red, and white.
step 05
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to the subtle shadows and highlights.
step 06
Define the edges of the hat and clothing, using darker values to create contrast.
step 07
Add texture to the fur collar with short, broken brushstrokes.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · ivory black · sap green

Mix skin tones using yellow ochre, burnt umber, titanium white, and a touch of cadmium red. Achieve the hat color by mixing cadmium red with burnt umber and a touch of black.

techniques