plate no. 2182

Bearded man

oilRealismportraitportraitmanbeardfigureclothinghair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones and textures. It also provides practice in creating depth and form through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and beard.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin layer of dark brown or black paint.
step 03
Block in the main areas of light and shadow on the face and beard using a limited palette of browns, yellows, and whites.
step 04
Begin to refine the facial features, paying close attention to the shapes of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Add details to the beard, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 06
Refine the clothing, using darker values to create depth and form.
step 07
Add highlights to the face and beard to create a sense of realism.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to achieve a cohesive and lifelike portrait.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, sienna, and umber. Use black sparingly to darken values. Add small amounts of yellow ochre for warmth.

techniques

·portraiture
·value studies
·blending
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Using too much black, which can make the painting look muddy.
→Failing to create enough contrast between the light and shadow areas.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife