plate no. 7183

Portrait of Anne in Sunglasses

Avigdor Arikha, 1981

oilContemporary Realismportraitportraitfiguresunglasseshairclothingface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and rendering form with subtle value changes. It also provides practice in capturing the likeness of a subject and creating a sense of depth.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the figure's proportions and pose.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values with thin washes of color.
step 03
Focus on the background, establishing the overall tone.
step 04
Develop the skin tones, layering subtle variations in color and value.
step 05
Refine the details of the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Paint the hair, capturing its texture and volume.
step 07
Add the clothing, focusing on the folds and shadows.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic image.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red light

Mix skin tones by combining white, yellow ochre, raw umber, and a touch of red. Use ultramarine blue and white to create the blue of the shirt, adding raw umber for darker shades. The background is primarily a mix of white and raw umber.

techniques