plate no. 3522

Portrait of P.Strepetova

oilRealismportraitportraitfigureclothingheadwearjewelryoval format

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering fabric textures with watercolor. It also provides practice in layering and glazing techniques to achieve subtle color variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the oval format and the basic proportions of the figure.
step 02
Block in the background with a diluted wash of blue, allowing for variations in tone.
step 03
Establish the main shapes of the face, clothing, and headwear with light washes of appropriate colors.
step 04
Begin layering colors on the face to build up the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Develop the details of the clothing, using darker washes to define folds and textures.
step 06
Paint the headwear and jewelry, adding details and highlights to create a sense of realism.
step 07
Refine the background and adjust the overall values to create a harmonious composition.
step 08
Add final details and touches to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · Prussian Blue · Cadmium Red · Yellow Ochre · Burnt Umber

secondary · Payne's Gray · White (for highlights)

Mix various shades of skin tones using yellow ochre, cadmium red, and burnt umber. Create muted tones by mixing complementary colors. Achieve the background blue by diluting Prussian blue with water.

techniques