plate no. 0945

The Comtesse de Tillières

oilRococoportraitportraitfigureclothingfurchairrococo

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as practice painting drapery and textures like fur.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
step 02
Block in the background with a mid-tone brown, establishing the overall value.
step 03
Establish the main shapes and folds of the blue cloak using a lighter shade of blue.
step 04
Begin layering the skin tones, starting with shadows and gradually adding highlights.
step 05
Paint the fur trim, using short, broken strokes to create texture.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to the cloak to create a sense of depth and volume.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition and color balance.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Titanium white · Burnt umber · Cadmium red light

secondary · Yellow ochre · Ivory black

Mix various shades of blue by combining Prussian blue and Titanium white, adjusting the ratio for lighter and darker tones. Create skin tones by mixing Titanium white, Cadmium red light, Yellow ochre, and a touch of Burnt umber.

techniques

·Portraiture
·Blending
·Scumbling
·Glazing
·Chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Failing to capture the texture of the fur.
→Ignoring the subtle shifts in value that create depth.

materials

surface · Stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (Prussian blue, Titanium white, Burnt umber, Cadmium red light, Yellow ochre, Ivory black)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife