plate no. 7988
Redheaded woman wearing a pendant
Amedeo Modigliani, 1918
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying forms, mixing skin tones, and using expressive brushstrokes to create texture and volume. It also encourages observation of subtle color variations within a limited palette.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and chair.
- step 02
Block in the background with light gray and blue tones.
- step 03
Establish the main skin tone using a mix of white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red.
- step 04
Paint the dress with a dark blue, adding highlights and shadows.
- step 05
Define the hair with varied shades of red and orange, using short, choppy strokes.
- step 06
Add details like the necklace and facial features, keeping them simple and stylized.
- step 07
Refine the edges and blend some areas to create a sense of depth.
- step 08
Add final touches and highlights to enhance the overall effect.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · cadmium red · ultramarine blue
secondary · burnt sienna · raw umber · viridian
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red; adjust the ratio for highlights and shadows. Mix blue and raw umber for the dress, adding white for highlights. Use a mix of cadmium red and burnt sienna for the hair, adding yellow ochre for highlights.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·color mixing
- ·expressive brushstrokes
- ·simplifying forms
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →over-blending and losing texture
- →getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch
- →making the skin tones too uniform
- →overworking the details
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstroke visibility. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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