plate no. 6441

Portrait of Countess Daru

oil, canvasNeoclassicismportraitportraitfiguredressjewelryflowersshawl

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle color mixing for skin tones and fabric folds. It also offers practice in rendering details like jewelry and floral elements.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic proportions of the figure and the main elements (head, shoulders, dress).
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of brown.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the dress and shawl, focusing on the overall values.
step 04
Begin layering the skin tones, gradually building up highlights and shadows.
step 05
Refine the details of the dress, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
step 06
Add the jewelry and floral crown, focusing on accurate shapes and colors.
step 07
Paint the shawl, capturing the intricate patterns and textures.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · cadmium red light

secondary · emerald green · yellow ochre · ivory black

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, red, and umber, with small amounts of yellow ochre for warmth. The dress is primarily white with subtle variations created by adding small amounts of umber and blue. The green shawl uses a mix of emerald green and ivory black for shadows.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·blending
·rendering details

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the figure.
→Overly harsh or flat skin tones.
→Losing the subtle variations in the white dress.
→Inaccurate rendering of the jewelry and floral details.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, cadmium red light, emerald green, yellow ochre, ivory black)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife