plate no. 2615
Bryan Edwards
recreation guide
This recreation guide addresses the painting of a portrait by Lemuel Francis Abbott, an 18th-century artist known for his work in the oil medium. While the specific visual details of the subject 'Bryan Edwards' are not described in the provided sources, the guide focuses on the technical execution consistent with Abbott’s era and the general principles of oil portraiture. The artwork is classified under the Rococo style, which historically emphasizes elegance and detail, though the provided texts focus more heavily on the mechanical and chemical processes of oil painting rather than specific stylistic flourishes of this particular piece. The portrait likely aims to capture the 'inner essence' or character of the sitter, a standard expectation for well-executed portraiture of the period, rather than merely a literal likeness.
estimated time
20-30 hours over 4-6 sessions
materials
8 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas | Support for the oil paint | Linen or cotton canvas, primed |
| Charcoal or thinned paint | Initial sketching of the subject onto the canvas | Vine charcoal or raw umber thinned with solvent |
| Linseed oil | Medium to mix with paint, ensuring proper drying and adhesion | Refined linseed oil |
| Artist grade mineral spirits or turpentine | Solvent to thin paint for initial layers and clean brushes | Odorless mineral spirits (OMS) or gum turpentine |
| Oil paints (Black, Ultramarine, White, Red, Yellow) | Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing | Standard artist-grade oil paints |
| Oil of Copavia (historical) or Dammar varnish | Medium for glazing and finishing layers, as noted by Sir Joshua Reynolds | Dammar varnish or stand oil |
| Paintbrushes | Primary tool for transferring paint to the surface | Hog bristle and sable brushes |
| Palette knives and rags | For scraping off wet paint or applying texture if needed | Flexible palette knives and lint-free cloths |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be prepared to accept oil paint. While specific priming methods for Abbott are not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting techniques assume a stable ground. The artist should ensure the surface is ready for the 'fat over lean' application rule, which requires a lean initial layer to prevent cracking (Source 1).
underdrawing
Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 1). For a portrait, this underdrawing establishes the likeness and proportions. Given the genre's focus on capturing character, the underdrawing should carefully map the eyes and eyebrows, as these are critical for conveying expression (Source 3).
underpainting
A grisaille (monochrome underpainting) is recommended. The artist should mentally extract red and yellow colors, painting in black, ultramarine, and white to establish values and forms (Source 2). This layer must be allowed to dry completely before proceeding. Sir Joshua Reynolds, a contemporary figure whose methods are cited as relevant to this period's practice, used oil of copavia with black, ultramarine, and white for his first and second paintings (Source 2).
color palette
Black
Bone black or ivory black
Underpainting and shadows, consistent with Reynolds' method
Ultramarine
Natural ultramarine
Underpainting and cool shadows, consistent with Reynolds' method
White
Lead white or titanium white
Highlights and mixing tints in the underpainting
Red
Vermilion or red lake
Glazing and scumbling to add warmth and flesh tones
Yellow
Yellow ochre or lead-tin yellow
Glazing and scumbling to add warmth and flesh tones
composition
The composition likely follows standard portrait conventions, potentially depicting the subject in a 'head and shoulders' or 'half-length' view (Source 3). The subject's head may be in a three-quarter view, which is common for revealing character (Source 3). The expression is likely serious or neutral, as historical portraits often featured a 'serious, closed lip stare' to convey moral quality rather than temporary emotion (Source 3). Specific compositional elements like background objects are not described in the sources and should be omitted or kept neutral to avoid invention.
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint. Focus on accurate proportions, particularly the eyes and eyebrows, which are crucial for expression.
Tip — Ensure the sketch is light enough to be covered or integrated into the underpainting.
Underdrawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome layer (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with a lean medium (solvent-heavy). Establish the values and forms of the face and clothing.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow tones, focusing on value structure. Allow this layer to dry completely.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Begin applying color using the 'fat over lean' rule. The first colored layers should be relatively lean (more solvent) to ensure proper drying.
Tip — Each subsequent layer must contain more oil than the previous one to prevent cracking.
Fat over lean
refining
step 04
Use glazing and scumbling techniques to add color and depth. Glaze with transparent coats of red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille. Scumble semi-opaque paint to adjust values and textures.
Tip — Glazing adds transparency and depth; scumbling allows the underlying layer to show through, creating complex tones.
Glazing and Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Refine the facial features, particularly the eyes and eyebrows, to convey the subject's character. Adjust the expression to be serious or subtly content, avoiding exaggerated smiles.
Tip — Focus on the eyes for the most reliable information about the subject's character.
Detailing
varnishing
step 06
Once the painting is fully dry (which can take weeks due to oxidation), apply a varnish to protect the surface and unify the sheen.
Tip — Ensure the paint is completely dry to the touch and internally cured before varnishing.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Fat over Lean
A basic rule of oil paint application where each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below. This prevents cracking and peeling.
Glazing
Applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting. Used to add depth and richness, particularly with red and yellow tones.
Scumbling
Applying semi-opaque paint over a dry layer, allowing the underlying painting to show through. Useful for creating subtle tonal variations.
Grisaille
A monochrome underpainting, typically in black, white, and a cool color like ultramarine, to establish values before adding color.
common pitfalls
- →Applying lean layers over fat layers, which can cause the paint to crack and peel (Source 1).
- →Attempting to paint wet-on-wet without allowing sufficient drying time, especially when using glazing techniques (Source 1).
- →Over-modeling or being too tied to the outline, which can result in a stiff appearance. Studying works like Reynolds' portraits can help avoid this (Source 7).
- →Focusing too much on literal likeness rather than character, which is the aim of great portraiture (Source 3).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific visual details of Bryan Edwards (clothing, background, pose) are not described in the sources.
- ·Lemuel Francis Abbott's specific personal habits or deviations from general 18th-century practice are not detailed.
- ·The exact date of the painting is not available, making it difficult to pinpoint specific material changes over time.
- ·The specific Rococo stylistic elements (e.g., ornate details, specific color palettes typical of Rococo) are not described in the provided texts.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, scumbling, and Reynolds' method
- ON COPYING — applied to Avoiding over-modeling and stiffness
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Underdrawing, fat over lean rule, drying times, and materials
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 2 — applied to Expression, character portrayal, and composition views
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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