plate no. 9866

Étude de femme

oilSymbolismsketch and studyportraitwomanfacehairfiguresketch

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in subtle value transitions and creating soft, diffused edges. It also provides practice in capturing delicate facial features and creating a harmonious color scheme.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic outline of the face, hair, and neck.
step 02
Establish the overall warm tone of the paper with a light wash or pastel layer.
step 03
Begin building up the darker values in the hair and background, using soft blending techniques.
step 04
Carefully define the facial features, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in value.
step 05
Add highlights to the face and hair to create dimension.
step 06
Refine the edges of the figure, softening some areas and sharpening others.
step 07
Add the subtle blue tones to the eyes.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and details to achieve a harmonious and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Achieve the skin tones by mixing burnt sienna, raw umber, and white. Add small amounts of yellow ochre for warmth and ultramarine blue to cool the tones.

techniques