plate no. 9978

Portrait of old woman

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitold womanheadscarffigureclothingface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, specifically capturing the likeness and texture of an elderly face, as well as understanding subtle value shifts to create form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and headscarf.
step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and clothing with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones with layers of subtle color variations, paying attention to the wrinkles and folds.
step 04
Define the features of the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, with careful attention to detail.
step 05
Work on the headscarf, using darker values to create depth and dimension.
step 06
Develop the background with soft, blended tones.
step 07
Add final highlights and details to the face and clothing to enhance the realism.
step 08
Refine the edges and overall composition to create a cohesive and compelling portrait.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson

Achieve skin tones by mixing raw sienna, burnt umber, and titanium white, with small amounts of alizarin crimson for warmth. Use ivory black and burnt umber for the darks in the headscarf and clothing.

techniques

·portrait drawing
·glazing
·scumbling
·value studies
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to capture the correct proportions of the face.
→Using colors that are too saturated or unrealistic.
→Ignoring the subtle value shifts that create form.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·assorted round and flat brushes
·palette
·palette knife
·rags