plate no. 8100

Portrait of Marie Botkine

Odilon Redon, 1900

pastel, paperSymbolismportraitportraitfigurewomanhatclothingfeathers

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing subtle facial features and using a limited color palette to create depth and form. It also provides practice in using expressive lines and blending techniques with pastels.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the figure, hat, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the background with light washes of blue and yellow pastel.
step 03
Begin layering darker tones for the clothing and hat, focusing on the overall form.
step 04
Develop the facial features with subtle shading and highlights, paying attention to the light source.
step 05
Add details to the hat, including the feathers, using short, expressive strokes.
step 06
Refine the edges and contours of the figure to create a sense of depth.
step 07
Blend the pastel layers to create smooth transitions and soft edges.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall contrast and definition.

color palette

primary · black · yellow ochre · light blue

secondary · brown · white

Mix yellow ochre with white for highlights on the face and clothing. Use varying amounts of black to create different shades for the clothing and hat. Blend blue and yellow for subtle variations in the background.

techniques

·pastel blending
·expressive linework
·layering
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→overworking the pastel
→losing the initial sketch
→uneven blending
→inaccurate proportions

materials

surface · pastel paper

required

·soft pastels (black, yellow ochre, light blue, brown, white)
·pastel paper
·kneaded eraser
·fixative spray
·blending stumps
·paper towels

optional

·pastel pencils
·workable fixative
·palette knife

Choose a pastel paper with a slightly textured surface to grip the pastel. Use a light touch when applying the pastel to avoid overfilling the paper's tooth.

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