plate no. 1212

Boy Smoking

Georgios Jakobides, 1900

oilImpressionismportraitportraitboyfieldhatfigureclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing skin tones and textures with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in depicting clothing folds and creating a sense of depth through color variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the boy and the background.
step 02
Establish the main areas of color, blocking in the background, clothing, and skin tones with thin washes.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, layering different shades of red, yellow, and brown to create depth and warmth.
step 04
Define the features of the face, paying close attention to the highlights and shadows.
step 05
Add details to the clothing, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture and folds.
step 06
Refine the background, adding subtle variations in color and tone to create a sense of depth.
step 07
Add the final details, such as the hat and the object in his hand.
step 08
Adjust the overall composition, making sure that the values and colors are balanced.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · raw umber · cadmium red light

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and titanium white, adding small amounts of cadmium red for warmth and ultramarine blue for shadows. Achieve the green in the background by mixing yellow ochre and ultramarine blue, adjusting the ratio for different shades.

techniques

·broken brushstrokes
·layering
·color mixing
·scumbling
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and tone, leading to a monotonous composition.
→Getting the proportions of the face wrong, resulting in an inaccurate likeness.
→Using too much paint, resulting in a muddy, overworked appearance.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, titanium white, ultramarine blue, raw umber, cadmium red light)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife