plate no. 0983
The Child Bride
John Collier, 1883
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly rendering skin tones and fabric textures. It also provides practice in creating subtle variations in value and color to suggest form and depth.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
- step 02
Block in the background and floor with broad strokes, establishing the overall color tone.
- step 03
Establish the basic skin tones and hair color, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
- step 04
Begin layering the dress, focusing on the pattern and folds.
- step 05
Add details to the face, including eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Refine the details of the dress, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
- step 07
Paint the gold jewelry and headpiece, focusing on the reflective qualities of the metal.
- step 08
Add final details and adjustments to the overall composition.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · burnt sienna
Mix various shades of brown and beige by combining raw umber, yellow ochre, and titanium white. Add small amounts of alizarin crimson to warm the skin tones. Use cadmium yellow and burnt sienna for the gold details.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·portraiture
- ·fabric rendering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Failing to establish accurate proportions in the initial sketch.
- →Using colors that are too saturated.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in value and color.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic gesso
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·assorted round and flat brushes
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·retouch varnish
- ·medium
Use a high-quality canvas primed with gesso. Consider using a medium to improve the flow and blending of the oil paints.
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