plate no. 0701

Seated girl

oilRealismportraitportraitfiguregirlseatedhairdress

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and mood with loose brushstrokes and subtle color variations. It also provides practice in creating form through value and color rather than precise outlines.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and arm placement.
step 02
Establish the background with thin washes of light blue and gray, leaving some areas unpainted for highlights.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, hair, and clothing, using a limited palette of earth tones and white.
step 04
Begin to build up the form of the face and body with layers of short, directional brushstrokes, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 05
Add details to the hair, using a smaller brush to create individual strands and highlights.
step 06
Refine the clothing and background, adding subtle color variations and textures.
step 07
Glaze the face with a thin layer of red to give it a natural glow.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna · yellow ochre

secondary · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by combining white, raw umber, burnt sienna, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use yellow ochre and white for highlights in the hair. Create shadows by adding ultramarine blue to the earth tones.

techniques

·alla prima
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·glazing
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly quality.
→Using too much paint and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the subtle color variations in the skin and hair.
→Not paying attention to the light and shadow, resulting in a flat, lifeless image.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags