plate no. 0786

Sor Juana

oilBaroqueportraitportraitbooksfigurenuntablerosary

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting complex textures and details, such as the books and rosary.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main shapes and proportions of the figure, table, and bookshelf.
step 02
Establish the background colors, focusing on the overall tones of the bookshelf and red curtain.
step 03
Block in the basic colors of the figure's clothing, paying attention to the highlights and shadows.
step 04
Start refining the facial features, focusing on accurate proportions and subtle value changes.
step 05
Add details to the books and other objects on the table, using small brushes to create texture and detail.
step 06
Paint the rosary beads, paying attention to the highlights and shadows on each bead.
step 07
Refine the details of the figure's clothing, adding folds and wrinkles to create a sense of volume.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · payne's gray

Mix various shades of white with small amounts of burnt umber and yellow ochre to achieve the subtle variations in the figure's clothing. Use cadmium red mixed with burnt umber to create the deep reds of the curtain and table.

techniques