plate no. 3592
Portrait of Rose Levy
Ethel Carrick, 1906
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly capturing likeness and creating soft, diffused light. It also provides practice in layering paint and using visible brushstrokes to create texture.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
- step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of neutral color.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the skin tones, hair, and dress.
- step 04
Begin layering paint to build up the form and create depth.
- step 05
Pay attention to the subtle variations in color and value within the dress.
- step 06
Refine the features of the face, focusing on capturing the likeness.
- step 07
Add details such as the jewelry and the object in her hand.
- step 08
Adjust the overall composition and add final touches to create a cohesive painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna
secondary · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson
Mix various shades of white with raw umber and burnt sienna to create the skin tones and the off-white of the dress. Use ultramarine blue and alizarin crimson to create the darker areas of the background and the blue object.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·dry brushing
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Using too much detail and creating a stiff, unnatural portrait.
- →Not paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-grain canvas to allow for texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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