plate no. 4733

Vera Fearing

Augustus John, 1931

oilPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfiguredresschairbookjewelry

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones and fabric, and capturing the essence of a subject through loose brushwork. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and atmosphere with a limited palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, chair, and book.
step 02
Establish the background with loose, blended washes of color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the dress, chair, and skin tones.
step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 05
Add details to the dress, such as folds and highlights, using visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Develop the chair and book, adding details and texture.
step 07
Introduce subtle color variations and highlights to create depth.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · titanium white · viridian green

secondary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ultramarine blue

Mix yellow ochre and white for the dress, varying the proportions for highlights and shadows. Combine viridian green and ultramarine blue for the chair, adding white for lighter areas. Use burnt umber and raw sienna for skin tones, adjusting with white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red.

techniques

·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·color layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly quality.
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (yellow ochre, titanium white, viridian green, burnt umber, raw sienna, ultramarine blue)
·assorted round and flat brushes
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette knife