plate no. 4120

Abraham Kuyper

Theo van Doesburg, 1910

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanangelscloudsclothing

some experience helpful

This painting provides practice in rendering form with hatching and cross-hatching techniques. Students will also learn to create a sense of depth and atmosphere using value and line weight.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the portrait and the angels.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the portrait using bold, closely spaced lines.
step 03
Begin adding mid-tones with lighter, more spaced-out lines, following the contours of the face.
step 04
Use cross-hatching to build up darker values in areas like the shadows under the nose and chin.
step 05
Render the angels with light, delicate lines, focusing on their flowing forms.
step 06
Create a sense of atmosphere around the figures with subtle hatching and stippling.
step 07
Refine the details of the face, such as the eyes and mouth, with careful line work.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed to create a cohesive and expressive portrait.

color palette

primary · black · white

secondary ·

Varying the density and layering of black lines on a white surface creates the illusion of different values.

techniques

·hatching
·cross-hatching
·stippling
·contour drawing
·value shading

common pitfalls

→Overworking the lines and creating a muddy or cluttered appearance.
→Failing to establish a clear value range, resulting in a flat or lifeless image.
→Ignoring the contours of the face and creating a distorted or inaccurate likeness.
→Making the lines too uniform and losing the sense of spontaneity and expression.