plate no. 4965

Verka

Filipp Malyavin, 1913

oil, canvasArt Nouveau (Modern)portraitportraitfiguregirlheadscarfclothingtraditional dress

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones and fabric, and capturing textures with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and atmosphere through color and value.

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, focusing on the head, shoulders, and the overall pose.
step 02
Establish the background with broad, loose strokes of dark blues and purples.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, headscarf, and clothing, using a limited palette of primary colors and white.
step 04
Begin to refine the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 05
Develop the details of the headscarf and clothing, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture and pattern.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension, particularly in the face and folds of the fabric.
step 07
Refine the background, adding subtle variations in color and value to create a sense of atmosphere.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition, ensuring that the focal point is the face of the girl.

color palette

primary · titanium white · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt umber · viridian

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and small amounts of red and blue. Create the dark blues and purples of the background by mixing ultramarine blue and burnt umber. Use red and yellow to create the orange tones of the headscarf.

techniques

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

common pitfalls

→Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
→Losing the sense of form by focusing too much on the details of the fabric.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere in the background.
→Getting bogged down in details too early in the process.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber)
·round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·flat brushes (#6, #8)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits