plate no. 9625

Portrait of Giulia Leonardi

Ferdinand Hodler, 1910

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)portraitportraitfigurewomanhairfaceneck

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing for skin tones and understanding how to use visible brushstrokes to create form and texture. It will also help with capturing likeness and expression in portraiture.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, neck, and hair.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of ochre/yellow.
step 03
Establish the main shadow shapes on the face and neck using a mix of green, red, and brown.
step 04
Begin layering in the lighter skin tones, using pinks, yellows, and whites.
step 05
Define the features of the face, paying attention to the subtle color variations.
step 06
Paint the hair with thick, expressive brushstrokes of black and dark brown.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the values as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · titanium white · ivory black · cadmium red

secondary · viridian green · burnt umber · ultramarine blue

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, red, yellow, and small amounts of green and blue. The background is primarily yellow ochre with slight variations. Hair is a mix of black and burnt umber.

techniques