plate no. 8998
Portrait of Elizabeth Siddal
Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1855
some experience helpful
Recreating this portrait will help students understand how to build form with hatching and cross-hatching techniques, as well as how to create a sense of depth and volume using a limited palette.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, hair, and shoulders.
- step 02
Establish the main light source and shadow areas.
- step 03
Begin layering hatching strokes to define the darker areas of the hair and face.
- step 04
Use cross-hatching to build up deeper shadows and create a sense of volume.
- step 05
Add finer lines to define details such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Create the background texture with a grid-like pattern of hatching.
- step 07
Refine the overall values and adjust the contrast as needed.
- step 08
Add any final details to the hair and clothing.
color palette
primary · sepia · raw umber
secondary · ivory black · raw sienna
Vary the intensity of the brown by diluting with water or adding small amounts of black for deeper shadows. Use a touch of raw sienna to warm up the highlights.
techniques
- ·hatching
- ·cross-hatching
- ·value gradation
- ·line weight variation
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the hatching and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to establish a clear light source.
- →Making the lines too uniform and lacking variation.
- →Not paying attention to the proportions of the face.
materials
surface · smooth drawing paper
required
- ·fine-tipped pen
- ·sepia ink
- ·drawing paper
- ·eraser
- ·ruler
- ·pencil
optional
- ·watercolor brush
- ·water for diluting ink
Experiment with different pen sizes and ink dilutions to achieve varying line weights and values.
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