plate no. 3491
Portrait of Berthe Bady
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing a likeness with loose brushstrokes and understanding how to create depth using a limited color palette. It also encourages exploration of expressive mark-making.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the figure, chair, and background.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color using thin washes.
- step 03
Build up the darker values in the dress and background.
- step 04
Add the lighter highlights to the face, dress, and chair.
- step 05
Define the facial features and details of the dress with smaller brushstrokes.
- step 06
Refine the background texture with vertical strokes.
- step 07
Add the white decorative details on the dress.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to values and details.
color palette
primary · Prussian Blue · Crimson · Burnt Sienna
secondary · Titanium White · Yellow Ochre · Viridian Green
Mix Prussian Blue and Crimson for the dress's dark blues and purples. Use Burnt Sienna and Crimson for the background's reddish tones. Add white to these mixtures to create lighter values.
techniques
- ·Broken color
- ·Dry brushing
- ·Scumbling
- ·Limited palette
- ·Expressive brushwork
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details
- →Creating muddy colors
- →Losing the looseness of the brushstrokes
- →Ignoring the underlying sketch
materials
surface · Stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas
- ·Prussian Blue oil paint
- ·Crimson oil paint
- ·Burnt Sienna oil paint
- ·Titanium White oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
optional
- ·Palette knife
- ·Linseed oil
- ·Odorless mineral spirits
Consider using a toned canvas to start with a mid-tone ground. Use a medium to thin the oil paints for easier blending.
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