plate no. 0725

Portrait of girl sitting

Rafael Zabaleta, 1943

oil, canvasExpressionismportraitportraitgirldresschairindoorbow

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones and fabric, and capturing the essence of a subject's expression. It also provides practice in depicting textures and patterns with visible brushstrokes.

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 girl, chair, and background.
step 02
Establish the main color blocks for the skin, dress, background, and chair.
step 03
Mix and apply base layers for skin tones, focusing on light and shadow.
step 04
Develop the blue dress, adding the floral pattern with smaller brushes.
step 05
Define the features of the face, paying attention to the eyes and mouth.
step 06
Add details to the chair and background, creating depth and texture.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting values and colors as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium orange · burnt sienna · ivory black

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, raw umber, and titanium white. Achieve the blue of the dress by mixing cerulean blue with white and a touch of yellow. Use burnt sienna and raw umber for the chair and background.

techniques

·blocking in
·scumbling
·dry brush
·color mixing
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
→Getting the proportions of the face incorrect.
→Making the floral pattern on the dress too uniform.
→Neglecting the background and chair, causing them to appear unfinished.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (cerulean blue, yellow ochre, raw umber, titanium white, cadmium orange, burnt sienna, ivory black)
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags