plate no. 2223

Autorretrato fumando en el umbral

sepia, paperExpressionismself-portraitportraitfigureglassescigarettehatbeard

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portrait sketching, value shading with a limited palette, and capturing likeness with expressive lines. It also provides practice in creating texture with hatching and cross-hatching techniques.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and facial features, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Refine the sketch, adding details like the glasses, hat, and cigarette.
step 03
Begin shading with light washes of sepia, establishing the overall value structure.
step 04
Build up darker values in the shadows using hatching and cross-hatching.
step 05
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the likeness.
step 06
Create texture in the beard and hair with short, broken lines.
step 07
Add the background lines, varying the pressure to create depth.
step 08
Refine the overall composition and add any final details.