plate no. 3575
Portrait of Princess Wilhelmina
Thérèse Schwartze, 1888
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting fabric folds and soft lighting.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, paying attention to the placement of the head, shoulders, and fabric.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then moving to the skin tones and fabric.
- step 03
Begin to refine the skin tones by layering subtle variations of color, focusing on the highlights and shadows.
- step 04
Develop the details of the face, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 05
Work on the fabric, creating the illusion of folds and texture with varying brushstrokes and values.
- step 06
Add highlights to the hair and fabric to create a sense of depth and dimension.
- step 07
Refine the edges and details throughout the painting, ensuring that the overall composition is balanced and harmonious.
- step 08
Add final glazes for depth.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium red light
secondary · ultramarine blue · ivory black · alizarin crimson
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and umber. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create dark shadows in the background.
techniques
- ·portrait drawing
- ·color mixing
- ·glazing
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in skin tone.
- →Creating harsh lines and edges.
- →Not paying attention to the overall composition.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 filbert brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to thin the paint and improve its flow.
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