The Infanta Maria Theresa, daughter of Philip IV of Spain

Light rakes across from the front-left, making the pale, porcelain face the dominant focal point that immediately draws the eye. The volumetric mass of warm reddish-brown curled hair surrounds the face and head, creating a strong halo effect. The standout visual feature is the pair of elaborate white lace ruffs flanking her neck—they're sculptural, complex, and catch highlights brilliantly. The near-black background recedes completely, making every warm and pale note in the face, hair, and fabric sing against it. Her calm, slightly downward gaze and serene mouth complete a carefully composed study in aristocratic restraint.

The darkest darks are the background and shadow areas within the hair—nearly pure black with minimal texture. The lightest lights are the face and the bright highlights on the lace ruffs, which read almost white. Mid-dark values sit in the curled hair mass and shadows of the ruffles. A clear light-to-dark sandwich: pale face → warm brown hair → pale ruffles on the sides → black background. When you squint, you see a glowing pale oval framed by warmer brown, with bright flares on either side from the ruffles.

• #0d0b0d

  Ivory black with a touch of burnt umber

  Deep shadows in hair and background

• #6e4a32

  Burnt umber with cadmium red light and yellow ochre

  Mid-tone curls and definition within the hair mass

• #2e1a17

  Burnt umber and ivory black

  Darkest shadow accents in the hair, defining curl structure

• #ead3bf

  Titanium white with yellow ochre and cadmium red light

  Face, neck, pale dress shoulder area

• #c29f81

  Titanium white with yellow ochre and cadmium red light (slightly warmer)

  Warm mid-tones on cheeks, lips, and modeling of the face

• #d4c5b9

  Titanium white with touches of yellow ochre and grey

  Lace ruffles, particularly the lit edges and folds

The face is handled with soft, almost invisible edges—careful blending creates a smooth, porcelain quality with no harsh transitions. The hair shows more visible brushwork: individual curls are suggested with warmer highlights against darker brown passages, creating a sense of texture and volume without overworking. The lace ruffles are the most energetic—sculptural folds are built with multiple strokes suggesting light catching each facet; shadows are suggested with greys and warm browns that make the white pop. The background is loosely handled, almost atmospheric, with no texture that competes with the figure.

1. 01

   Establish the composition and value map

   Lightly block in the head shape, identifying where the hair begins and where the face ends. Note that the hair mass is significantly larger than the skull itself. Quickly indicate the positions of the two ruffles—they're roughly symmetrical and flank the neck. Paint the entire background with your darkest dark (black/burnt umber mix), leaving only the outline of the figure. This dark ground will make every subsequent value read correctly.

2. 02

   Block the hair structure

   Using warm mid-brown (burnt umber + cadmium red light + yellow ochre), rough in the overall mass and direction of the curls. Don't detail individual curls yet—focus on the volume and the sense that it's gathered up with some ornamental elements. Notice the hair is warmest (most reddish) at the crown and deepens toward the darker shadows. Leave the face area white (or very pale) as a reserve.

3. 03

   Model the face with subtle warm tones

   Using your pale cream mix (white + yellow ochre + touch of red), paint the basic face shape. Don't outline—let the pale color define the edge against the dark background. Add warm peachy tones (more cadmium red light mixed into your cream) to the cheeks, around the nose, and at the temples. The face should feel smooth and porcelain-like; use very soft blending, almost like you're sculpting with paint. Keep the eyes and lips relatively simple at this stage—just suggest them with dark warm tones, not outlined.

4. 04

   Refine and deepen the hair

   Now add darker brown and near-black accents (burnt umber + ivory black) to define the structure of the curls. These shadows should follow the direction of the curl formations—notice how the hair wraps around and creates a volumetric crown. Use a warmer brown highlight along the top edges where light catches; the topmost strands should have the brightest warm tones. Look for the ornamental elements (jewels or pins)—suggest them with pale highlights.

5. 05

   Build the lace ruffles

   These are complex and deserve attention. Start with a medium warm grey (white + yellow ochre + touch of burnt umber) for the mid-tone fabric. The ruffles have many sharp folds—use a mix of pale highlights and warmer grey shadows to suggest each facet. Notice that the right ruffles (from the viewer's perspective) catch more light; they should be brighter and more prominent. Build the folds with individual brushstrokes rather than blending; let the brushwork suggest the crisp, folded structure.

6. 06

   Resolve the neck and dress

   Connect the face to the body by painting the pale neck with the same smooth handling as the face—a very subtle warm cream. The dress shoulder that's visible is also pale cream, but it should recede slightly (a touch cooler or less saturated than the face). Ensure the transition from the pale face down through the neck and into the dress feels natural and unified.

7. 07

   Final details and highlights

   Add the brightest highlights to the lace ruffles—almost pure white accents on the sharpest folds and light-facing edges. Refine the eyes: the pupils should be dark and warm (not pure black), with just a tiny highlight. Add a subtle shadow under the nose and a gentle warm line to define the lips without outlining them. Step back frequently to check your values against the background—the face should glow, and the ruffles should appear sculptural and luminous.

8. 08

   Final atmospheric touches

   Check that the background remains uniformly dark and doesn't compete with the figure. If needed, soften some edges where the hair meets the background by dragging a dark tone around the silhouette. Ensure the light direction is consistent across all elements—the face, hair, and ruffles should all respond to the same light source coming from the front-left. Make final adjustments to the warmth of the skin tones and ensure the face still reads as smooth and serene.

• The background is easy to muddy or make too brown—it must stay very dark and cool to let the face and ruffles read. Resist the urge to add interest or texture to it; the void makes the figure sing.
• The face can become too detailed or outlined if you lose faith in the pale color and modeling alone. The smoothness and porcelain quality depend on soft edges and seamless blending; overworking or adding harsh shadows will destroy the aristocratic calm.
• The hair volume is much larger than students expect—it's easy to make the head too small or the hair too wispy. Build it with confidence; the curls and volume are a major compositional element, not a secondary detail.
• The lace ruffles require patience and careful observation of fold direction. It's tempting to make them too uniform or too simple; each ruffle has multiple overlapping folds that catch light differently. Treat them as a mini-sculpture exercise.
• Skin tones can skew too cool or too muddy if you're not careful with your mix. This face has a distinctly warm, peachy quality—make sure your cream base is genuinely warm (not grey), and layer peachy undertones in the cheeks and around the eyes.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility