plate no. 6018

Woman with shawl

Israel Tsvaygenbaum, 2003

oilMagic Realismportraitportraitwomanshawlvaseflowersbutterfly

some experience helpful

This painting provides practice in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating smooth gradations. Students will also learn to simplify complex patterns and shapes into manageable forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the woman, vase, and background elements, focusing on proportions.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: background yellow, skin tones, shawl, and vase.
step 03
Refine the skin tones with subtle color variations and shading.
step 04
Add details to the shawl, simplifying the patterns and using contrasting colors.
step 05
Paint the vase, creating the illusion of depth with highlights and shadows.
step 06
Add the flowers and leaves, focusing on their shapes and colors.
step 07
Include the butterfly and any other small details.
step 08
Review and adjust the painting, ensuring that the colors and values are balanced.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · alizarin crimson · black · sap green

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue and white to create the various shades of blue for the vase and shawl. Add alizarin crimson to the skin tone mix for warmer areas.

techniques

·color mixing
·blending
·layering
·simplification
·contour shading

common pitfalls

→Overcomplicating the patterns on the shawl.
→Using too much detail in the background.
→Creating muddy skin tones by over-mixing colors.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the woman.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, titanium white, ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson, black, sap green)
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits