plate no. 0469

Retrato de D. Carlota Joaquina, Rainha de Portugal

oilNeoclassicismportraitportraitfiguredressjewelrycolumndrapery

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as rendering fabrics and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
step 02
Establish the light and shadow areas with a thin wash of neutral color.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the dress, cloak, and background.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations.
step 05
Add details to the dress, including lace and fabric folds.
step 06
Paint the fur trim on the cloak, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
step 07
Add the jewelry and other accessories, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · sky blue · coral red · ivory white

secondary · olive green · grey · light brown

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Achieve the blue of the dress by mixing a cool blue with white and a touch of grey. The red of the cloak is a muted coral achieved by mixing red with white and a touch of brown.

techniques

·portraiture
·blending
·glazing
·rendering fabric
·fur texture

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the figure
→Muddy skin tones
→Overly harsh blending
→Lack of attention to detail in the accessories

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas
·Oil paints (titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, ultramarine blue, cadmium red)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil