Wife of Jens von Benzon

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red · Prussian blue

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Mix skin tones using white, red, umber, and a touch of yellow ochre. Create the blue of the bows by mixing Prussian blue with white. Achieve the brown of the dress by mixing burnt umber with red and black.

techniques

• ·portraiture
• ·blending
• ·layering
• ·rendering fabric
• ·glazing

common pitfalls

• →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
• →Overworking the skin tones and making them look muddy.
• →Failing to capture the delicate details of the lace.
• →Using too much paint and losing the subtle gradations of color.