plate no. 3748

Portrait of Elanor Hyde Phillips

oil, canvasImpressionismportraitfigureportraitdresswaterlandscapetrees

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing light and shadow on fabric and skin, as well as creating depth and atmosphere in a landscape. Students will also learn to mix subtle color variations to represent reflected light and form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the figure's pose and the main elements of the background.
step 02
Establish the background with broad strokes, focusing on the water and foliage.
step 03
Block in the basic shapes and values of the figure, paying attention to the overall proportions.
step 04
Start building up the layers of the dress, using broken color and short brushstrokes to create texture and light.
step 05
Refine the facial features, focusing on capturing the likeness and expression.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to the figure and background to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Blend and soften edges as needed to create a harmonious composition.
step 08
Add final details and adjust colors to achieve the desired effect.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · viridian

Mix white with small amounts of yellow ochre, raw umber, and ultramarine blue to create the various shades of white in the dress. Use combinations of yellow ochre, raw umber, and viridian to create the greens in the background. Mix alizarin crimson and white to create the skin tones.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·wet-on-wet blending
·glazing
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic effect.
→Failing to capture the subtle color variations in the white dress.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Ignoring the importance of light and shadow in creating form.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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