plate no. 3905

Portrait of Two Girls

oilExpressionismportraitfiguresportraitgirlshairclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including proportion and capturing likeness, and in creating subtle color variations for skin tones and hair. It also provides practice in rendering soft, diffused light and shadow.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures, paying attention to their relative positions and sizes.
step 02
Refine the sketch, adding details like facial features, hair contours, and clothing folds.
step 03
Apply a thin, diluted wash of a light skin tone color to the faces and hands.
step 04
Build up the skin tones with layers of slightly darker and warmer washes, focusing on areas of shadow and form.
step 05
Paint the hair using a mix of browns and ochres, adding highlights and shadows to create volume and texture.
step 06
Apply a light wash of color to the clothing, using grays and blues to indicate folds and shadows.
step 07
Paint the background with a diluted wash of blue and beige, creating a soft, atmospheric effect.
step 08
Add final details and adjustments to refine the overall composition and enhance the likeness of the figures.

color palette

primary · raw sienna · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson

Mix skin tones by combining raw sienna, burnt umber, and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create grays for the clothing. Add a touch of alizarin crimson to the skin tone mix for warmth.

techniques

·glazing
·dry brushing
·color mixing
·portrait sketching
·wash technique

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy or flat appearance.
→Incorrect proportions in the initial sketch, leading to an inaccurate likeness.
→Using too much water, causing the colors to bleed and lose definition.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value, resulting in a lifeless portrait.

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·watercolor paper 140lb
·watercolor paints
·round brushes (various sizes)
·palette
·water container
·pencil
·eraser
·masking tape

optional

·palette knife
·kneaded eraser
·watercolor pencils

Use high-quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling and allow for smooth blending. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve various effects.

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