plate no. 1001

The Soup

oil, canvasAcademicismportraitportraitgirlsouptableclothinginterior

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone blending, as well as rendering realistic textures in clothing and objects.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the girl, bowl, and table.
step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas using a thin wash of burnt umber.
step 03
Block in the local colors of the background, clothing, and skin tones.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 05
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, bowl, and table, focusing on texture and form.
step 07
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and enhance the depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of realism.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red · ivory black · raw sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create the darks in the clothing and background. Mix white with a touch of yellow ochre and burnt umber for the soup.

techniques