plate no. 2821

Portrait of Felicina Caglio Perego di Cremnago

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitwomanfurdresshairjewelry

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding how to depict textures like fur and fabric.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of neutral color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, dress, fur, and background.
step 04
Refine the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 05
Add details to the hair, creating the curls and highlights.
step 06
Develop the texture of the fur, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Render the folds and shadows in the dress, creating a sense of volume.
step 08
Add final details, such as the jewelry and the highlights in the eyes.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by blending white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use ultramarine blue to cool down skin tones in shadows. Create the fur color by mixing raw umber, burnt sienna, and a touch of black and white.

techniques