plate no. 2561

Sonja

Christian Schad, 1928

oilMagic Realismportraitportraitfiguretableclothingflowerchampagne

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations. It will also provide practice in rendering different textures, such as fabric and skin.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the main shapes and proportions of the figure and objects.
step 02
Establish the background color and general light source.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, clothing, and other objects.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying close attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, flower, and other objects, focusing on texture and form.
step 07
Adjust the overall values and colors to create a sense of depth and realism.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · yellow ochre · cadmium red

secondary · raw umber · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, and cadmium red, with small amounts of raw umber and ultramarine blue for shadows. Use ivory black and raw umber for the dark clothing, and mix white with a touch of yellow for the table cloth.

techniques