plate no. 6987

Portrait of the Young Lady in Russian Costume

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguredressjewelrychairclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as practicing fabric folds and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
step 02
Establish the background with dark, muted tones.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, including the dress, jacket, and face.
step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Add details to the clothing, such as folds, patterns, and textures.
step 06
Paint the jewelry and other accessories, focusing on their reflective qualities.
step 07
Refine the facial features, capturing the likeness of the subject.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · red · brown · blue · white

secondary · gold · pink · green

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow, and a touch of brown. Create the jacket's blue by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a touch of yellow ochre. Muted browns are achieved by mixing burnt umber, raw sienna and white.

techniques

·portrait painting
·blending
·layering
·glazing
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones and losing the natural look.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints: titanium white, burnt umber, ultramarine blue, cadmium red, yellow ochre
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags