plate no. 1489

The Girl in Red

Ion Theodorescu-Sion, 1927

oilPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfigureflowersvaseclothinghair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating form with visible brushstrokes. It's also a good exercise in simplifying complex shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the figure, vase, and flowers onto the canvas.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of browns and ochres.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: the red jacket, white collar, skin tones, and the colors of the vase and flowers.
step 04
Begin to refine the shapes and values of the face, paying attention to the subtle shifts in color.
step 05
Add details to the hair, using short, directional brushstrokes.
step 06
Develop the forms of the vase and flowers, using a variety of brushstrokes to create texture.
step 07
Refine the details of the clothing, including the collar and tie.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · viridian · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones by blending white, sienna, and a touch of red. Achieve the red jacket color by mixing cadmium red with a touch of burnt umber to tone it down. The background is a mix of burnt umber, raw sienna and white.

techniques

·blocking in
·dry brush
·color mixing
·portraiture
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details of the face, which can make it look stiff and unnatural.
→Not paying enough attention to the subtle shifts in color and value.
→Using too much paint, which can make the painting look muddy.
→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.