plate no. 3069

Cardinal Mercier

Paul-Albert Besnard, 1916

etchingImpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanheadetchingcardinal

some experience helpful

Recreating this etching helps students understand how to build form and value using hatching and cross-hatching techniques. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and texture with line work.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic outline of the head and shoulders, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the face, such as around the eyes, nose, and mouth, using closely spaced lines.
step 03
Begin building up the mid-tones using hatching, varying the spacing and direction of the lines to create form.
step 04
Use cross-hatching in the darker areas to deepen the shadows and create a sense of volume.
step 05
Pay attention to the direction of the lines to follow the contours of the face and create a three-dimensional effect.
step 06
Add finer details, such as the lines around the eyes and mouth, to enhance the expression.
step 07
Create the background texture with light stippling or short, broken lines.
step 08
Refine the overall composition by adjusting the values and adding final details.

color palette

primary · sepia · ivory black

secondary · raw umber

Vary the intensity of the sepia by diluting it with water or mixing it with small amounts of ivory black for darker tones. Use raw umber for subtle variations in the background.

techniques