plate no. 1462
Portrait of young woman
Henri Fantin-Latour, 1873
experienced study
Students would develop skills in realistic flesh tone mixing, subtle color temperature shifts, and careful observation of facial proportions and features in three-quarter profile view.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Begin with accurate drawing of the profile, paying attention to proportions of nose, eye, and mouth
- step 02
Block in the major shadow shapes on face and hair with mid-tone colors
- step 03
Establish the darkest darks in the hair and deepest shadows
- step 04
Add the lightest lights on forehead, nose, and cheekbone
- step 05
Model the subtle transitions between light and shadow on the face
- step 06
Refine hair texture with varied warm and cool browns
- step 07
Paint the white collar with careful attention to reflected light
- step 08
Soften edges and blend transitions for realistic skin surface
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt sienna
secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue · raw sienna · ivory black
Mix flesh tones using white, yellow ochre, and tiny amounts of red and umber. Add cooler tones in shadows with subtle blue-grays.
techniques
- ·sfumato blending
- ·chiaroscuro modeling
- ·color temperature variation
- ·lost and found edges
- ·glazing for depth
common pitfalls
- →making flesh too pink or orange
- →overworking and losing freshness
- →harsh transitions between light and shadow
- →incorrect facial proportions in profile
materials
surface · primed canvas or canvas board 11x14 inches
required
- ·#2 flat brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·#4 filbert brush
- ·#1 round detail brush
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
optional
- ·palette knife for mixing
- ·painting medium
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·ultramarine blue
Use quality brushes for smooth blending. Have plenty of white paint available for flesh tone mixing.
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