plate no. 0950
Admiral Lord Bridport
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective to create depth in the background.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and ships.
- step 02
Block in the background with thin washes of muted browns and grays.
- step 03
Establish the main values of the figure's face and clothing.
- step 04
Begin layering colors to build up the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations.
- step 05
Refine the details of the uniform, including the gold embellishments.
- step 06
Paint the ships in the background, using lighter values to create distance.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create form and dimension.
- step 08
Apply final glazes to unify the painting and enhance the colors.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium yellow
secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light
Mix various shades of gray and brown for the background and shadows. Use white and yellow to create the gold details on the uniform. Mix red, yellow, and white for the skin tones.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·underpainting
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
- →Making the gold details too bright and overpowering.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cadmium yellow oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
- ·flat brushes (#4, #8)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to create a more unified color palette.
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