plate no. 0348

Portrait of Baroness Gourgaud in Black Mantilla

Marie Laurencin, 1924

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfigureflowersbirdhatdress

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice simplified portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating a sense of depth with limited detail. It also encourages expressive brushwork and capturing a mood rather than precise realism.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, hat, and flowers.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin wash of green and blue, leaving some areas lighter.
step 03
Establish the dark areas of the hat and dress with black and dark blue.
step 04
Mix skin tones using white, pink, and a touch of yellow, and apply to the face and hands.
step 05
Paint the flowers with varying shades of pink and white, adding touches of green for the leaves.
step 06
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, lips, and eyebrows, using small brushstrokes.
step 07
Paint the bird and the ribbon-like shapes in the background with light pink and white.
step 08
Refine the edges and add any final touches to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · black · rose madder

secondary · yellow ochre · viridian green · violet

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white with small amounts of pink and yellow. The background greens are created by mixing blue and yellow with white. Use white to lighten all colors and create subtle variations.

techniques

·simplified portraiture
·color mixing for skin tones
·expressive brushwork
·limited detail
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Making the skin tones too uniform and flat.
→Not paying attention to the proportions of the figure.
→Ignoring the background and focusing only on the figure.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·acrylic or oil paints
·titanium white
·ultramarine blue
·black
·rose madder
·round brushes
·flat brushes

optional

·palette knife
·medium (for oils)
·easel

Use a medium-sized canvas (e.g., 16x20 inches). Acrylic paints are easier for beginners, but oil paints offer richer colors and blending capabilities.

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