plate no. 8705

Bearded Man with a Beret

oilBaroqueportraitportraitmanbeardhatold ageclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering skin tones, textures, and capturing a likeness, as well as understanding chiaroscuro and creating depth with subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and hat using light pencil lines.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the dark background and shadows on the face and clothing with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, starting with mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
step 04
Pay close attention to the subtle color variations in the face, using thin glazes to create depth and realism.
step 05
Render the beard with loose, expressive brushstrokes, capturing the texture and volume of the hair.
step 06
Refine the details of the hat and clothing, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
step 07
Add final highlights and details to the face and beard to bring the portrait to life.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers of burnt umber to unify the painting and add depth.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red light · ivory black · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Use burnt umber and ivory black for shadows, and add ultramarine blue to darken the shadows further. Mix white with a touch of yellow ochre and burnt umber for the beard.

techniques

·chiaroscuro
·glazing
·dry brushing
·portraiture
·value study

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure early on.
→Getting lost in details before establishing the overall form.
→Using too much paint, resulting in a heavy or overworked appearance.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium red light, ivory black, ultramarine blue)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags or paper towels