plate no. 5325

Portrait of Countess A. de Toulouse Lautrec

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfigureinteriorchairwindowbook

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and form, as well as capturing subtle variations in light and shadow using short, broken brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 7 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, chair, and background.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by laying in thin washes of color for the background and figure.
step 03
Begin building up the form of the figure with short, directional brushstrokes, focusing on the planes of the face and body.
step 04
Add detail to the clothing and hair, using darker values to create shadows and lighter values to create highlights.
step 05
Develop the background by layering colors and textures to suggest the interior setting.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, paying attention to the subtle nuances of expression.
step 07
Add final touches and highlights to the painting, ensuring that the overall composition is balanced and harmonious.

color palette

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

secondary · alizarin crimson · viridian green

Mix various shades of blue and brown with white to create the cool tones of the figure's clothing and hair. Use small amounts of red and green to create subtle variations in the skin tones and background.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·layering
·directional brushstrokes
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→over-blending colors
→losing the structure of the figure
→ignoring the subtle color variations
→creating muddy colors

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, burnt umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, viridian green)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or mineral spirits
·palette knife