plate no. 4120

Young Woman in Green

William James Glackens, 1915

oilImpressionismportraitfigureportraitcouchdressinteriorfabric

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing, particularly achieving subtle variations in skin tones and fabric textures, and in capturing the impressionistic brushwork style.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition, focusing on the figure's pose and the placement of the couch.
step 02
Block in the main color areas: the skin, dress, and background fabrics.
step 03
Begin layering colors to build up the skin tones, using subtle variations of pink, yellow, and white.
step 04
Work on the dress, using darker greens and blues to create shadows and lighter greens to suggest highlights.
step 05
Develop the background fabrics, paying attention to the patterns and textures.
step 06
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, using small, precise brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting colors and values as needed.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · viridian · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · cadmium yellow

Mix greens by combining viridian with yellow ochre or ultramarine blue. Achieve skin tones by blending alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, and titanium white, with small amounts of burnt umber for shadows.

techniques