plate no. 9175
Tête de jeune fille
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones with subtle color variations. It also provides practice in using visible brushstrokes to create texture and form.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, headscarf, and shoulders.
- step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and clothing with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, layering different shades of brown, red, and yellow.
- step 04
Define the features of the face, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
- step 05
Add details to the headscarf, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 06
Refine the clothing, using a combination of thick and thin paint to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Adjust the background color to complement the figure.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall effect.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red
secondary · yellow ochre · viridian green · raw sienna
Mix skin tones by blending burnt umber, titanium white, cadmium red, and a touch of yellow ochre. Use viridian green and raw sienna to create the muted greens in the background and clothing.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·alla prima
- ·color layering
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
- →Failing to capture the correct proportions of the face.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows.
- →Using too much detail in the background, distracting from the figure.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-tooth canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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