plate no. 5770
Self-portrait in White Dress
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering fabric folds. It also provides practice in subtle color mixing and creating realistic skin tones.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch of the figure, paying attention to proportions and pose.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of neutral tones.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, focusing on the overall values.
- step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, using subtle color variations to create form.
- step 05
Develop the details of the clothing, capturing the highlights and shadows.
- step 06
Add the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 07
Refine the hair and beard, paying attention to the texture and direction of the strokes.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red light · ivory black
Mix various shades of white with small amounts of raw umber and yellow ochre to create the off-white tones of the clothing. Use burnt sienna and cadmium red light for the skin tones, adjusting with white and raw umber to create highlights and shadows.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
- ·rendering fabric
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the skin tones and losing the subtle variations.
- →Making the clothing too bright and losing the sense of depth.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·assorted brushes
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·painting easel
- ·rags
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium-sized canvas (16x20 or 18x24) is recommended.
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