plate no. 8331
Sunburnt Nymph
Ethel Léontine Gabain, 1930
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as understanding how to depict fabric and floral details with loose brushwork.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
- step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Begin building up the skin tones using a limited palette and focusing on subtle value changes.
- step 04
Define the features of the face, paying attention to the angle and expression.
- step 05
Add details to the dress and flowers, using thicker paint and more expressive brushstrokes.
- step 06
Refine the background and window area, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- step 07
Add final highlights and details to the hair and face.
- step 08
Review and adjust the overall composition and color balance.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · raw umber · cadmium red light
secondary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · cadmium yellow
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Use ultramarine blue and white to create the cooler tones in the shadows. Mix greens from blue and yellow.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones and losing the freshness of the brushwork.
- →Failing to capture the correct proportions of the figure.
- →Using too much detail in the background, distracting from the main subject.
- →Not paying attention to the subtle color variations in the skin and fabric.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·rags
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·varnish
- ·easel
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette of colors to simplify the mixing process.
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