plate no. 6633

Abraham Geiger

Lesser Ury, 1905

oilImpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanglassesclothingdark background

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and creating subtle value transitions in skin tones. It also provides practice in creating a dark, atmospheric background.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and clothing, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the overall value range by blocking in the dark background and the general tones of the face and clothing.
step 03
Begin layering in the skin tones, starting with mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
step 04
Pay close attention to the subtle color variations in the face, especially around the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Refine the details of the clothing, including the collar, bow tie, and jacket.
step 06
Add the glasses, carefully rendering the shape and reflections.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a sense of depth and realism.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the portrait.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones using white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of raw umber. Use ivory black and raw umber for the background, adding small amounts of blue or red to adjust the tone.

techniques