plate no. 7976

Still life, child's head with a white cloth

Paula Modersohn-Becker, 1908

cardboard, temperaExpressionismportraitportraitfigurechildclothheadhood

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing subtle skin tones and creating form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms and focusing on essential values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head and cloth, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the background with a dark, even tone.
step 03
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and cloth using thin washes of color.
step 04
Gradually build up the skin tones with layers of subtle color variations, focusing on the planes of the face.
step 05
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, keeping the overall effect soft and muted.
step 06
Develop the form of the cloth with visible brushstrokes, suggesting folds and textures.
step 07
Refine the edges and contours of the figure, softening or sharpening them as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth and volume.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by combining white, yellow ochre, and burnt umber, with small amounts of red and blue for subtle variations. Use white with a touch of blue or umber for the cloth. Darken colors with burnt umber and a touch of blue.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·layering
·scumbling
·color mixing
·portrait sketching

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall simplicity of the painting.
→Creating harsh lines and edges instead of soft transitions.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
→Making the background too light, which would flatten the image.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·titanium white oil paint
·burnt umber oil paint
·yellow ochre oil paint
·cadmium red light oil paint
·ultramarine blue oil paint
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·palette

optional

·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits

Use a medium-tooth canvas to allow for visible brushstrokes. Tempera is listed as the original medium, but oil paints are a good substitute for learning purposes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.

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