plate no. 0626

Portrait of Mrs Chadwyck-healy and Her Daughter

Walter Osborne, 1901

oilImpressionismportraitportraitfiguresclothinginteriormotherchild

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering fabric textures. It also provides practice in creating a harmonious color palette and depicting subtle variations in light and shadow.

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 composition and proportions of the figures.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up the forms with thicker paint, focusing on the light and shadow patterns.
step 04
Develop the details of the faces, paying attention to the subtle nuances of expression.
step 05
Render the textures of the clothing and background, using a variety of brushstrokes.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed.
step 08
Apply a final layer of varnish to protect the painting.

color palette

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

secondary · alizarin crimson · cerulean blue · cadmium yellow light

Achieve the subtle variations in skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use raw umber and ivory black to create the darker values in the shadows. Mix greens from blue and yellow.

techniques