plate no. 2113
Young redhead girl
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding subtle color variations and light effects.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and chair using light pencil lines.
- step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the background and major areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in color and value across the face and hands.
- step 04
Develop the details of the dress, focusing on the folds and drapery, and the texture of the lace.
- step 05
Add details to the hair, building up layers of color to create depth and volume.
- step 06
Refine the chair and background, adding details and adjusting values as needed.
- step 07
Add final highlights and details to the face and dress.
- step 08
Review the painting as a whole, making any necessary adjustments to the composition, color, or value.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red light
secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · raw sienna
Mix skin tones by blending white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use ultramarine blue and white to create the light blue of the dress, adding touches of grey for shadows.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·chiaroscuro
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Failing to capture the subtle shifts in value across the skin.
- →Overworking the details, resulting in a stiff or unnatural appearance.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 filbert brush
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Prepare the canvas with gesso before painting.
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