plate no. 6318
Young woman in a negligee
Edouard Manet, 1882
some experience helpful
This painting provides a good opportunity to practice soft blending techniques and capturing subtle skin tones. Students can also learn to simplify forms and suggest details rather than rendering them precisely.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure.
- step 02
Block in the background with a light, cool blue.
- step 03
Establish the main areas of skin tone with a light pinkish-white.
- step 04
Add shadows and highlights to the face and body, blending softly.
- step 05
Define the hair with loose strokes of orange and brown.
- step 06
Paint the blue robe, using visible brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 07
Add the details of the negligee, such as the ribbon.
- step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values as needed.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna
secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre
Mix white with small amounts of red and yellow ochre to create the skin tones. Use ultramarine blue and white for the background. Mix burnt sienna with white and a touch of red for the hair.
techniques
- ·soft blending
- ·scumbling
- ·color layering
- ·visible brushstrokes
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
- →Using too much paint and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
- →Making the edges too sharp and defined.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Thin the paint with a small amount of linseed oil or mineral spirits if needed.
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