plate no. 1403

Portrait of Aleida Gijsberta Van Ogtrop Hanlo with Her Five Children

Thérèse Schwartze, 1906

oilAcademicismportraitportraitfigureschildrenclothinghatsfamily

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly capturing likeness and rendering complex fabrics and textures with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in creating a harmonious color palette with subtle variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main figures and their relative positions.
step 02
Establish the background with broad strokes, focusing on the overall tone and mood.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures, paying attention to proportions and posture.
step 04
Start building up the values and colors of the skin tones, using subtle variations to create depth.
step 05
Work on the clothing, capturing the folds and textures with loose, expressive brushstrokes.
step 06
Add details such as facial features, jewelry, and hat decorations.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting values and colors as needed to create a sense of unity.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to bring the painting to life.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · raw umber · yellow ochre

secondary · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue · viridian

Achieve the subtle skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and small amounts of red and blue. Use raw umber and ivory black to create the darker tones in the background and clothing. Mix white with blue and a touch of red for the light blue fabrics.

techniques

·portraiture
·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Getting lost in the details too early, before establishing the overall composition and values.
→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the figures.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 24x30
·oil paints (titanium white, ivory black, raw umber, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, viridian)
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·rags