plate no. 1251

Portrait of Bessie Price

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitfiguredressfacehairclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing skin tones and rendering fabric folds with loose brushstrokes. It also provides practice in creating depth and atmosphere through value control.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic proportions and pose of the figure on the canvas.
step 02
Establish the dark background using a thin wash of dark brown or black.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, dress, and jacket, focusing on the overall values.
step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, layering subtle variations of pink, yellow, and white.
step 05
Develop the folds and highlights in the dress using white and pale yellows, paying attention to the direction of light.
step 06
Add details to the jacket, using darker greens and browns to create shadows and texture.
step 07
Refine the facial features, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth. Use small brushes for detail.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension throughout the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre · cadmium red

secondary · viridian green · ultramarine blue

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. The green jacket is a mix of viridian green and burnt umber. Use ultramarine blue to cool down shadows.

techniques

·portraiture
·alla prima
·scumbling
·value studies
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure early on.
→Getting lost in details before establishing the overall form.
→Using too much paint and creating a muddy effect.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, burnt umber, yellow ochre, cadmium red, viridian green, ultramarine blue)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat, sizes 2-8)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife