plate no. 0227

Portrait of Varvara Nikolaevna Surovceva

oilRococoportraitportraitwomandressroselacehair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle color blending for skin tones, as well as rendering delicate fabrics and details like lace.

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: head, shoulders, and the overall shape of the dress and hair.
step 03
Block in the background with a dark, muted tone.
step 04
Establish the basic skin tones and shadows on the face, neck, and hands.
step 05
Begin layering in the details of the dress, focusing on the highlights and shadows to create form.
step 06
Paint the rose and leaves, paying attention to their color variations and textures.
step 07
Add the lace details and the ribbon, using fine brushstrokes.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · rose madder · yellow ochre

secondary · viridian green · ultramarine blue · raw umber

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of rose madder. Use black and umber to create the dark background. Mix white with rose madder for the rose and add touches of green for the leaves.

techniques

·portraiture
·blending
·glazing
·rendering fabric
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Using too much paint and losing the subtle color variations.
→Failing to create a smooth transition between values.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, ivory black, rose madder, yellow ochre, viridian green, ultramarine blue, raw umber)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat, sizes 0-6)
·palette
·palette knife