plate no. 7230

Young Red Head Gooming Herself

oilImpressionismnude painting (nu)figurehairmirrorportraitnudeskin

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing skin tones and rendering hair with depth and volume. It also provides practice in depicting reflected light and subtle color variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, mirror, and hair.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of green and brown tones.
step 03
Block in the main areas of skin tone, using a mix of white, red, yellow, and brown.
step 04
Begin layering the hair, using variations of red, orange, and brown to create depth and highlights.
step 05
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the subtle shadows and highlights.
step 06
Add details to the mirror and the fabric, using light and dark values to create texture.
step 07
Blend and soften edges to create a sense of atmosphere and realism.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · cadmium red · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · viridian green · raw sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt umber. Vary the proportions to create highlights and shadows. For the hair, mix different shades of red, orange, and brown, adding white for highlights.

techniques

·blending
·glazing
·scumbling
·color mixing
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
→Overworking the details, losing the overall impression.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, cadmium red, yellow ochre, burnt umber, viridian green, raw sienna)
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife