plate no. 7104

Ami-Jean De La Rive

pastelRococoportraitportraitfigurewigclothingfurmale

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in rendering skin tones, capturing subtle light and shadow, and creating the illusion of textures like fur and fabric. It also provides practice in portrait composition and capturing a likeness.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the basic shapes and proportions of the figure.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, even tone.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, clothing, and wig, focusing on the overall values.
step 04
Develop the skin tones by layering and blending different shades of pink, yellow, and brown.
step 05
Add details to the clothing, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
step 06
Render the wig by creating individual strands of hair with varying values.
step 07
Capture the texture of the fur by using short, broken strokes and varying the color and value.
step 08
Refine the details and add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and small amounts of red and brown. The clothing is primarily a mix of raw umber and black, lightened with white. The wig is created with various shades of white, grey, and yellow ochre.

techniques

·blending
·layering
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy or unnatural appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in value and color, leading to a flat or lifeless portrait.
→Neglecting the background, which can detract from the overall composition.
→Inaccurate proportions in the initial sketch, which can make the portrait look distorted.