plate no. 2148

Portrait of Françoise de Châlus

oilNeoclassicismportraitportraitfiguredresslacehairchair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering delicate fabrics and subtle skin tones. It also provides practice in creating soft, diffused lighting and capturing a likeness.

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 chair within an oval format.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin, muted wash of color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the dress, shawl, and hair, focusing on accurate value relationships.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in tone and color.
step 05
Add details to the dress and shawl, including the lace and folds, using small, delicate brushstrokes.
step 06
Develop the hair, creating a sense of volume and texture with layered strokes.
step 07
Refine the background and chair, adding subtle details and shadows.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to the face, dress, and hair to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

secondary · raw umber · ivory black · cadmium yellow light

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, and a touch of ultramarine blue. Muted purples for the dress can be created by mixing alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue with white. Use raw umber and ivory black to create the darker tones in the background and shadows.

techniques