plate no. 9302

Self Portrait with Yellow Lilies

Natalia Goncharova, 1907

oil, canvasExpressionismself-portraitportraitfigureflowerslilieswindowself-portrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and color mixing to capture light and form. It also provides practice in portraiture and depicting floral elements.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, flowers, and background.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with broad strokes of color.
step 03
Begin blocking in the local colors of the skin, clothing, flowers, and background.
step 04
Develop the form of the face, paying attention to the subtle shifts in color and value.
step 05
Add details to the flowers, using short, expressive brushstrokes to capture their texture and form.
step 06
Refine the background, suggesting depth and atmosphere with loose, gestural strokes.
step 07
Adjust the overall color harmony and value contrast to create a cohesive composition.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to bring the painting to life.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · titanium white

secondary · burnt umber · viridian green · cadmium yellow light

Achieve the skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, cadmium red, and titanium white, with small amounts of ultramarine blue for shadows. Mix greens by combining viridian green and cadmium yellow light. Create the orange lilies by blending cadmium red and cadmium yellow light.

techniques

·impasto
·broken color
·alla prima
·scumbling
·color layering

common pitfalls

→Overblending the colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the figure.
→Neglecting the background, making it appear flat and lifeless.
→Using too much detail, losing the expressive quality of the brushwork.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (yellow ochre, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, titanium white, burnt umber, viridian green, cadmium yellow light)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits