plate no. 0028

Portrait of Mrs.Charles Schreiber

John William Waterhouse, 1912

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitwomandressflowerhairface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as understanding how to create soft, diffused lighting effects.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the oval composition and the figure's pose, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: background, skin, dress, and hair.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, using subtle color variations to create form and volume.
step 04
Work on the details of the dress, including the fabric texture and the flower.
step 05
Develop the background with soft, blended brushstrokes.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the facial features, focusing on capturing the likeness of the subject.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · titanium white · alizarin crimson · raw umber · ivory black

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, crimson, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. The background is a blend of crimson and umber, lightened with white in areas. The dress is primarily black with hints of blue and brown.

techniques

·portrait drawing
·color mixing
·blending
·glazing
·soft brushwork

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy or flat appearance.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Creating harsh lines or edges.
→Ignoring subtle value changes.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, alizarin crimson, raw umber, ivory black, yellow ochre, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue)
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits