plate no. 9375
Portrait of an unknown woman
Orest Kiprensky, 1820
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting fabric and jewelry.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, paying attention to the head, shoulders, and hands.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, dress, shawl, and background.
- step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, using subtle variations in color to create form and dimension.
- step 04
Add details to the hair, including highlights and shadows to create texture.
- step 05
Work on the dress, paying attention to the folds and drapery.
- step 06
Paint the shawl, capturing its color and texture.
- step 07
Add the jewelry, carefully rendering the details and highlights.
- step 08
Refine the background and add any final details.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium red
secondary · ivory black · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and umber. Achieve the shawl's color by mixing red with a touch of umber and black.
techniques
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·glazing
- ·portraiture
- ·fabric rendering
common pitfalls
- →Incorrect proportions of the figure.
- →Overly harsh or muddy skin tones.
- →Lack of detail in the hair and jewelry.
- →Flat or lifeless rendering of the fabric.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to improve blending and drying time.
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