plate no. 3649

Allegorical Portrait of Stanisław August Poniatowski with an Hourglas

oilBaroqueportraitportraitfigurehourglasstablerobelace

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of skin tones, as well as practice with depicting textures like fur and lace.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the proportions of the figure and the placement of key elements like the hourglass and table.
step 02
Establish the background with broad, blended strokes, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the figure's robe, fur, and skin, paying attention to the overall value structure.
step 04
Refine the facial features, focusing on accurate proportions and subtle gradations of tone to create a lifelike appearance.
step 05
Add details to the fur and lace, using smaller brushes and careful observation to capture their textures.
step 06
Paint the hourglass and other objects on the table, paying attention to their forms and reflections.
step 07
Adjust the overall color balance and value contrast to create a harmonious and visually engaging composition.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to enhance the realism and depth of the painting.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Create the blue robe by mixing ultramarine with white for highlights and adding black for shadows. Use raw umber and yellow ochre for the fur, highlighting with white.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·blending

common pitfalls

→Inaccurate proportions of the figure, especially the face.
→Overly harsh or muddy skin tones.
→Failure to capture the subtle textures of the fur and lace.
→Neglecting the importance of value contrast in creating depth and form.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, raw umber, titanium white, cadmium red, yellow ochre, ivory black)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted round and flat brushes
·palette
·palette knife
·rags