plate no. 5159

Portrait of Balieva - Komissarghevskaia

Serge Sudeikin, 1925

oil, panelExpressionismportraitportraitfigurewomandresshairface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle color mixing for skin tones. It also provides practice in rendering fabric folds and creating a sense of depth through value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: skin, hair, dress, and background.
step 03
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending colors, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 04
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, using small brushes.
step 05
Develop the folds and shadows in the dress, using darker values to create depth.
step 06
Work on the hair, adding highlights and texture to create a sense of volume.
step 07
Adjust the background color and add any subtle variations.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones using yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and titanium white, with small amounts of cadmium red for warmth. Achieve darker values by adding ivory black or ultramarine blue to the primary colors.

techniques

·blending
·layering
·scumbling
·glazing
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Failing to create enough contrast in the dress, making it look flat.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ivory black, titanium white, cadmium red, ultramarine blue)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags