plate no. 0489

Portrait of Halyna Holubovska

Oleksa Novakivskyi, 1930

oilPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfigurewomandresshairhands

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and capturing expressive brushstrokes to define form and texture. It also provides practice in simplifying complex backgrounds.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
step 02
Establish the main areas of color, blocking in the skin tones, dress, and background.
step 03
Begin to refine the skin tones, paying attention to subtle color variations and highlights.
step 04
Develop the details of the dress, using bold brushstrokes to create texture and form.
step 05
Work on the hair, capturing the curls and shadows with expressive strokes.
step 06
Add details to the hands, focusing on the gesture and light.
step 07
Refine the background, simplifying the shapes and colors to create depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall composition.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · raw umber

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of red. Achieve the dress color by mixing blue and green, and adjust the background colors by adding white and umber.

techniques