plate no. 6261

This white-haired woman became Chimène again for one hour

engravingAcademicismillustrationfiguresinteriorroomwindowfurniturebook

experienced study

Recreating this engraving will help students understand how to create depth and form using line weight and hatching techniques. It will also improve their understanding of composition and how to create a focal point.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch of the overall composition, focusing on the placement of the figures and major elements.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the image, such as the woman's dress and the shadows in the room.
step 03
Use hatching and cross-hatching to build up the values, gradually adding more lines to create darker tones.
step 04
Pay close attention to the direction of the lines to suggest the form and texture of the objects.
step 05
Use finer lines and lighter pressure to create the lighter areas of the image, such as the window and the faces of the figures.
step 06
Add details such as the patterns on the clothing and the objects on the table.
step 07
Refine the linework, adjusting the values and adding more detail as needed.
step 08
Add the artist's signature.