plate no. 7898

Portrait of Maria Vekemans

oilBaroqueportraitportraitfiguredressruffjewelrycurtain

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of skin tones, as well as practice in depicting complex textures like lace and fabric folds.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch outlining the figure's pose and proportions.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of burnt sienna and red.
step 03
Establish the basic shapes and values of the face, hands, and clothing.
step 04
Begin layering and blending skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color.
step 05
Develop the details of the ruff, lace, and jewelry, using fine brushes.
step 06
Refine the shadows and highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Add final details such as the rings and the texture of the fabric.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the colors and add richness.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · burnt sienna · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · raw umber

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and blue. Use ivory black and raw umber for the dark clothing, adding white for highlights. Mix red and burnt sienna for the curtain.

techniques