plate no. 1289

Portrait of Fay Bainter

Robert Henri, 1918

oilAmerican Realismportraitportraitfigurewomandressseatedhands

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and creating realistic skin tones, as well as understanding how to use loose brushwork to suggest form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, torso, and limbs.
step 02
Establish the background with broad, loose strokes of dark browns and grays.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, dress, and chair, using a limited palette.
step 04
Begin to refine the facial features, paying close attention to the placement of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Add highlights and shadows to create form and dimension in the face and clothing.
step 06
Develop the details of the hands, cuffs, and collar, using smaller brushes.
step 07
Refine the background and add any final touches to the composition.
step 08
Let the painting dry and add a varnish.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson

Mix yellow ochre and white for the skin tones, adding small amounts of red and umber for warmth and shadows. Use burnt umber and white for the background, and mix blue and white for the ribbon.

techniques

·portrait sketching
·color mixing for skin tones
·loose brushwork
·blending
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
→Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly quality.
→Using too much color and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt umber, titanium white, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife