plate no. 3557

Retrato de Josefa de Corte de Gargollo

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguredressjewelryhairbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and capturing likeness, as well as understanding subtle value shifts to create form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the overall composition and proportions of the figure.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values, focusing on the dark areas of the dress and hair.
step 03
Establish the background tone, blending it smoothly.
step 04
Develop the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in light and shadow.
step 05
Add details to the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the likeness.
step 06
Refine the details of the dress, hair, and jewelry, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 07
Add the details of the hands and fan.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium yellow light · burnt sienna

Mix blacks and whites to create a range of grays for the dress and background. Use small amounts of yellow ochre and burnt sienna to warm the skin tones.

techniques

·portrait sketching
·value studies
·blending
·layering
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong, leading to an inaccurate likeness.
→Overworking the details, resulting in a stiff and unnatural appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle value shifts in the skin tones, making the face look flat.
→Not blending the background smoothly, creating a distracting texture.