plate no. 7150
Thoughts
Pellizza da Volpedo, 1891
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in painting drapery and subtle textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
- step 02
Establish the background color and pattern with thin washes.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, including the dress, veil, and skin tones.
- step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to light and shadow.
- step 05
Develop the details of the dress and veil, including the decorative patterns.
- step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create form and depth.
- step 07
Refine the background and foreground details.
- step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · alizarin crimson
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and umber. Achieve the blue of the dress by mixing ultramarine with white and a touch of black for shadows. Use thin washes of diluted colors for the veil.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·drapery
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Creating muddy or dull colors by overmixing.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#4 filbert brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette of colors to simplify the mixing process.
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