plate no. 4693

Portrait of Mary Victoria Leiter, the later Lady Curzon of Kedleston, Vicereine of India

oilAcademicismportraitportraitfiguredresschairfabricbackground

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, rendering skin tones, and depicting the texture and folds of fabric. It also provides practice in creating subtle value changes to suggest form and light.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the proportions and composition.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using thin washes of color.
step 03
Develop the skin tones, paying close attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Work on the dress, capturing the highlights and shadows to create a sense of volume and texture.
step 05
Add details to the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Refine the background and surrounding elements, ensuring they support the main subject.
step 07
Add the final details, such as the lace and ribbon, to complete the painting.
step 08
Let dry and add a varnish layer.

color palette

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

secondary · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow light

Achieve skin tones by mixing titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use ivory black and ultramarine blue to create the dark background. Mix white with a touch of ultramarine blue and alizarin crimson for the dress.

techniques

·portrait painting
·glazing
·blending
·value studies
·fabric rendering

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in value and color.
→Ignoring the importance of the background in creating depth and atmosphere.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre, burnt umber, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow light)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife