Portrait of M. A. Venetsianova

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and umber. Use ivory black and white to create the dark background and subtle shades in the dress. Mix burnt umber and yellow ochre for the shawl.

techniques

• ·portraiture
• ·blending
• ·layering
• ·glazing
• ·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

• →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
• →Overworking the skin tones and losing the subtle variations.
• →Making the lace look flat and lacking depth.
• →Failing to capture the texture of the shawl.