plate no. 0380
Portrait of Faustine Léo
Henri Lehmann, 1842
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as landscape painting techniques for creating depth and atmosphere.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the oval composition and the figure's basic proportions.
- step 02
Block in the background sky with a gradient from light to dark blue.
- step 03
Establish the basic shapes of the landscape and foliage using simplified forms.
- step 04
Mix a range of skin tones and begin layering the face, paying attention to light and shadow.
- step 05
Paint the dress, focusing on the folds and highlights to create volume.
- step 06
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 07
Add details to the foliage and landscape, creating depth with varying tones and textures.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition and details.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre
secondary · sap green · burnt umber · cadmium red light
Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, and a touch of blue. Create the pink dress by mixing white and alizarin crimson. Mix greens using sap green, yellow ochre, and burnt umber.
techniques
- ·portrait painting
- ·glazing
- ·blending
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·rendering fabric
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Oversimplifying the skin tones and losing the subtle variations.
- →Making the foliage too uniform and lacking depth.
- →Using too much paint and losing the delicate details.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·round brushes sizes 2, 4, 6
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to improve blending and glazing.
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