plate no. 5395

Woman with Dove

Marie Laurencin, 1919

oilExpressionismgenre paintingfiguresbirdclothingportraitcurtain

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing with a limited palette, and creating soft, blended edges. It also provides practice in capturing the essence of a subject rather than photorealistic detail.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and figures, paying attention to proportions and placement.
step 02
Block in the background with diluted washes of grey and pink.
step 03
Establish the main values of the figures' clothing and hair, using a limited palette of greys, browns, and whites.
step 04
Mix and apply the skin tones, focusing on subtle variations in value and hue.
step 05
Add the details of the bird, book, and other accessories.
step 06
Refine the edges and blend the colors to create a soft, ethereal effect.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create depth.
step 08
Sign your name in the lower right corner.

color palette

primary · grey · white · pink · brown

secondary · green · black

Achieve the various shades of grey by mixing black and white. Add small amounts of pink or brown to warm up the greys. Mix green from blue and yellow.

techniques