plate no. 6722
Portrait of Countess Sophia Vilhelmine Moltke, née Levetzau
Wilhelm Bendz, 1831
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as rendering complex textures like lace and fabric.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and hat.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, hair, clothing, and hat.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to light and shadow.
- step 05
Develop the details of the hair, adding highlights and shadows to create volume.
- step 06
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and textures of the fabric.
- step 07
Render the lace and ribbons, using delicate brushstrokes and subtle color variations.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ivory black · cerulean blue · raw umber · titanium white
secondary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, and a touch of raw umber. Create the blue hues by mixing cerulean blue with white and a touch of black for shadows.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·rendering lace
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall form.
- →Making the skin tones too flat or lifeless.
- →Failing to capture the delicate texture of the lace.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·cerulean blue oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will make it easier to blend the colors.
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