plate no. 6145

The yellow butterfly

oil, panelAcademicismportraitfigureportraitplantsbutterflydresstable

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as rendering realistic fabric and botanical details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement and proportions of the figure and the still life elements.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then moving to the figure and the still life.
step 03
Refine the skin tones, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Develop the details of the dress, including the folds and the texture of the fabric.
step 05
Paint the plants and butterfly, focusing on capturing their delicate details and textures.
step 06
Add the details of the table and the background elements.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting the colors and values as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

secondary · alizarin crimson · burnt umber · sap green

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, a touch of alizarin crimson, and a hint of burnt umber. Use ultramarine blue and white to create the various shades of blue in the dress. Mix sap green with yellow ochre and burnt umber for the greens in the plants.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·blending
·rendering fabric
·botanical illustration

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the figure
→Overly harsh or muddy skin tones
→Lack of detail in the plants and butterfly
→Flat or lifeless rendering of the fabric

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (titanium white, ivory black, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, burnt umber, sap green)
·round brushes (sizes 0, 2, 4, 6)
·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette