plate no. 5644

Reading girl

Magnus Enckell, 1922

oilExpressionismportraitfigureportraitbookchairindoorclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones and fabrics, and capturing light and shadow with expressive brushstrokes. It's also a good exercise in simplifying complex patterns.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, chair, and book.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of warm browns.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, hair, clothing, and chair.
step 04
Start building up the values and details in the face, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 05
Develop the pattern on the clothing, simplifying the details and focusing on the overall color relationships.
step 06
Refine the shapes and edges of the figure and chair, adding more detail as needed.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve a harmonious composition.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · yellow ochre · titanium white · alizarin crimson

secondary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · cadmium red light

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Achieve fabric patterns by mixing primary and secondary colors with white to create muted tones.

techniques

·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling
·color layering
·expressive brushwork

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the clothing pattern.
→Getting the skin tones too muddy or flat.
→Losing the overall sense of light and shadow.
→Neglecting the background and its relationship to the figure.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt sienna, yellow ochre, titanium white, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, viridian green)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil or other painting medium
·palette knife
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags