plate no. 1787

Portrait of gabrielle braun

oilRealismportraitportraitfiguregirldressbowswall

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing subtle skin tones and soft lighting. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and atmosphere through blurred edges and muted colors.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 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, focusing on the skin tones, hair, and dress.
step 04
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending subtle color variations.
step 05
Add details to the hair, eyes, and mouth, paying attention to the soft edges.
step 06
Paint the background, creating a sense of depth with blurred edges and muted colors.
step 07
Add the details of the dress and bows, capturing the highlights and shadows.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and harmonious painting.

color palette

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

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones by blending white, raw umber, and small amounts of cadmium red. Use ultramarine blue and white to create the pale blue of the bows. Mix black and raw umber for the dress.

techniques