plate no. 0153
Seated Lady
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose brushwork, capturing form with minimal detail, and mixing subtle skin tones. It's a good exercise in impressionistic portraiture.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic figure proportions and pose.
- step 02
Block in the background with a thin wash of brown.
- step 03
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the figure using a limited palette of browns, whites, and pinks.
- step 04
Develop the form of the dress with loose, visible brushstrokes, focusing on the highlights and shadows.
- step 05
Add details to the face, paying attention to the subtle color variations in the skin tones.
- step 06
Define the hair with quick, gestural strokes.
- step 07
Add the blue ribbon detail.
- step 08
Refine the edges and details, ensuring a soft, impressionistic feel.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red light
secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre
Mix skin tones using white, red, and a touch of umber. Use ultramarine blue and white for the ribbon. Browns are achieved by mixing umber with other colors.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
- →Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
- →Incorrect proportions in the initial sketch.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes sizes 2, 4, 6
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·palette
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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