plate no. 4168
Portrait of Young Woman
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering soft, diffused light. It's also a good exercise in color mixing to achieve realistic skin tones and hair color.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and hair.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of dark brown.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of light and shadow on the face and body using a limited palette of skin tones.
- step 04
Begin to refine the features of the face, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 05
Add details to the hair, using a variety of brushstrokes to create texture and movement.
- step 06
Paint the dress with soft, flowing strokes, capturing the delicate folds and highlights.
- step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting values and colors as needed.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre · cadmium red
secondary · ultramarine blue · ivory black
Mix skin tones using titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of burnt umber. Use ultramarine blue and ivory black to create cooler shadows. For the hair, mix burnt umber with cadmium red and a touch of yellow ochre.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·blending
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Overworking the details and losing the softness of the original.
- →Using too much paint and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·oil paints (titanium white, burnt umber, yellow ochre, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, ivory black)
- ·palette
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·retouch varnish
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium-grit canvas will provide a good surface for painting.
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