plate no. 6910
Victorine Meurent
Edouard Manet, 1862
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting fabric and subtle details.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of brown.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of light and shadow on the face, using a limited palette of skin tones.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
- step 05
Paint the hair, capturing its texture and volume.
- step 06
Add the details of the clothing, including the collar, stripes, and bow.
- step 07
Adjust the overall values and colors to create a harmonious composition.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre · cadmium red light
secondary · ultramarine blue · ivory black
Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of burnt umber. Use ultramarine blue and white to create the bow color.
techniques
- ·portrait sketching
- ·color mixing
- ·glazing
- ·blending
- ·rendering form
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong.
- →Overworking the details.
- →Using too much paint.
- →Creating muddy colors.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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