plate no. 6840

Portrait of Anna Vasiliyevna Buturlina

oil, canvasBaroqueportraitportraitfigureclothingheadwearfacehistorical

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering skin tones and drapery. It also provides practice in achieving subtle gradations of color and value to create form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Block in the background with a dark, neutral color.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones, focusing on the light and shadow areas of the face.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones to create a smooth transition between light and shadow.
step 05
Paint the clothing, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
step 06
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Refine the details of the clothing and headwear.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

secondary · burnt umber · cadmium red light

Mix various combinations of white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red for skin tones. Use ultramarine blue and ivory black for the dark blue clothing, adding white for highlights.

techniques