plate no. 8494

Portrait of the artist's mother

oilRealismportraitportraitfigureheadscarfelderlywoman

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering subtle skin tones. It also provides practice in creating depth and form through careful value adjustments.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic oval shape and the placement of the figure within it.
step 02
Lightly sketch the main features of the face: eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, paying attention to proportions.
step 03
Block in the large shapes of the background, headscarf, and clothing with diluted washes of color.
step 04
Begin building up the skin tones with layers of thin paint, focusing on the highlights and shadows.
step 05
Refine the details of the face, such as the wrinkles and the expression in the eyes.
step 06
Add details to the headscarf and clothing, paying attention to the folds and textures.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a sense of depth and realism.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · ivory black · Prussian blue · burnt sienna

Mix various combinations of the primary colors with white to achieve the subtle skin tones. Use raw umber and ivory black for the background and headscarf, adding small amounts of blue or sienna to adjust the color temperature.

techniques

·layering
·blending
·scumbling
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle value changes that create form.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, ivory black, Prussian blue, burnt sienna)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags