plate no. 8642
Self-portrait with violin
Antonietta Raphael, 1928
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portrait painting, color mixing to achieve skin tones, and creating texture with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in depicting a musical instrument and its relationship to the figure.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the figure, violin, and background.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, dress, violin, and background.
- step 03
Start building up the skin tones with layers of color, paying attention to the subtle variations in light and shadow.
- step 04
Develop the hair with visible brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
- step 05
Paint the dress, blending the colors to create a soft, flowing effect.
- step 06
Carefully paint the violin, paying attention to the details of its shape and construction.
- step 07
Add the background, using small, broken brushstrokes to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to achieve the desired effect.
color palette
primary · burnt sienna · yellow ochre · titanium white · emerald green
secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · ivory black
Mix skin tones by combining burnt sienna, yellow ochre, and titanium white, adding small amounts of cadmium red for warmth and ultramarine blue for cool shadows. Achieve the green of the dress by mixing emerald green with touches of ivory black and yellow ochre.
techniques
- ·portrait painting
- ·color mixing
- ·visible brushstrokes
- ·layering
- ·blending
common pitfalls
- →Overblending skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
- →Failing to capture the correct proportions of the figure and violin.
- →Using too much black, which can make the painting look muddy.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.
- →Losing the sense of depth and atmosphere in the background.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·emerald green oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·round brushes
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium-sized canvas (e.g., 16x20 inches) is recommended.
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