plate no. 4886

Self-portrait with hyacinth

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)self-portraitportraitflowersfiguregardenclothinglandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting textures and details in clothing and foliage.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the proportions of the figure and the placement of key elements.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then moving to the figure.
step 03
Develop the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Add details to the clothing, including the folds and shadows.
step 05
Paint the flowers, capturing their delicate forms and colors.
step 06
Refine the background, adding details to the foliage and fence.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to the figure and flowers.
step 08
Glaze to unify the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

Mix browns and grays by combining umber, white, and small amounts of blue or red. Achieve skin tones by blending white, ochre, and crimson, adjusting the proportions for different areas of the face.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·color mixing
·rendering textures

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the figure
→Muddy skin tones
→Overworking the details
→Ignoring the subtle color variations

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints: raw umber, titanium white, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife