plate no. 7471

The Palm Leaf Fan

Thomas Dewing, 1906

oilTonalismgenre paintingfiguredresschairfanportraitbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing subtle skin tones and the delicate folds of fabric. It also provides practice in creating a harmonious color scheme and a sense of atmosphere.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the figure, chair, and fan, paying attention to proportions and placement.
step 02
Block in the background with a base layer of red, varying the tone slightly.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones using a mix of white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red.
step 04
Begin layering the dress, using pinks, purples, and yellows to create the fabric's translucence.
step 05
Add details to the face, focusing on the subtle shadows and highlights to define the features.
step 06
Paint the fan with a light yellow, adding subtle variations in tone.
step 07
Refine the details of the chair and add any final touches to the background.
step 08
Add subtle highlights to the dress and face to create a sense of luminosity.

color palette

primary · red · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · pink · purple · burnt sienna

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and small amounts of red and burnt sienna. The dress colors are created by layering thin washes of pink, purple, and yellow.

techniques