plate no. 5299
Portrait of Eugenia, Wife of Kleomenis Tsitsaras
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, subtle value shifts for rendering form, and capturing likeness. It also provides practice in painting fabrics and jewelry.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
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 dress.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of light and shadow on the face and dress.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to subtle value changes.
- step 05
Develop the hair, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 06
Paint the dress, capturing the folds and details of the fabric.
- step 07
Add the jewelry, using small brushes to create highlights and shadows.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and details to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna
secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · cadmium red light
Mix various shades of skin tones using white, umber, sienna, and small touches of red and blue. Achieve the background color by mixing umber, white, and a touch of blue.
techniques
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·chiaroscuro
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Over-blending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
- →Ignoring the subtle value changes that create form.
- →Making the jewelry too bright and distracting.
- →Not capturing the likeness of the subject.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·assorted round and flat brushes
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium-tooth canvas will provide a good surface for blending and layering.
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