plate no. 0391
Woman with a Lion
Émile Friant, 1919
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, animal anatomy, and rendering realistic textures. It also provides practice in creating subtle gradations of color and value to model form.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 25 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, paying attention to proportions and placement of the figure and lion.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
- step 03
Develop the details of the face, carefully observing the highlights and shadows.
- step 04
Work on the lion's fur, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 05
Render the drapery, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
- step 06
Refine the background, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- step 07
Add final details and highlights to the figure, lion, and drapery.
- step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and enhance the realism.
color palette
primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white · cadmium red
secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue
Mix various shades of brown and tan for the lion's fur and background. Use red and white for the skin tones, and black and red for the drapery. Add small amounts of blue to darken shadows.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·fur rendering
- ·glazing
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·blending
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the figure or lion wrong.
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of form.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas 18x24
- ·Oil paints (raw umber, burnt sienna, titanium white, cadmium red, ivory black, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue)
- ·Palette
- ·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
- ·Linseed oil
- ·Turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
- ·Palette knife
- ·Rags
optional
- ·Medium gloss
- ·Retouch varnish
- ·Easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium-tooth canvas will provide a good surface for the painting.
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