plate no. 8361

Woman making herself up

oilMagic Realismgenre paintingfigureportraitstill lifetableflowersdress

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in smooth blending, color mixing for skin tones, and creating subtle gradations of light and shadow. It also provides practice in rendering realistic textures and forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure and objects.
step 02
Apply a thin underpainting using burnt umber or a similar earth tone to establish values.
step 03
Begin layering in the background color, blending smoothly to create a soft, even tone.
step 04
Paint the figure's skin tones, building up layers of color and blending carefully to achieve smooth transitions.
step 05
Add the dress, focusing on the subtle variations in color and value to create the illusion of folds and fabric.
step 06
Paint the still life elements on the table, paying attention to the details and textures of each object.
step 07
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, lips, and hair.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · raw umber

Mix skin tones using white, red, and a touch of yellow ochre and burnt sienna. Create the blue dress by mixing ultramarine blue with white and small amounts of burnt sienna for shadows. The background is a mix of white, red, and a touch of burnt sienna.

techniques