plate no. 3133

Portrait of the dancer Barbara Campanini aka La Barbarina

oilRococoportraitfigureportraitdressgardenstatuetambourine

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering fabric textures, particularly the shimmering effect of the dress, and in capturing the delicate details of Rococo portraiture.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the figure and main compositional elements.
step 02
Block in the background with thin washes of color, focusing on the overall tone.
step 03
Establish the basic shapes and values of the figure, paying attention to proportions.
step 04
Begin layering colors to build up the form of the dress, focusing on light and shadow.
step 05
Add details to the face, hands, and other focal points, using small brushes.
step 06
Render the fabric texture of the dress with short, broken brushstrokes and subtle color variations.
step 07
Paint the details of the flowers and embellishments on the dress.
step 08
Refine the background and add final touches to the composition.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · ivory black

Achieve the shimmering effect of the dress by mixing white with small amounts of blue, yellow, and brown. Create the flesh tones by mixing white, red, and yellow ochre.

techniques