plate no. 8326

Charles E. Lees

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanbeardclothingdark background

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 and soft blending.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic proportions and pose of the figure, paying attention to the placement of the head, shoulders, and hands.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the dark background and the main areas of light and shadow on the figure's face, clothing, and hands.
step 03
Begin refining the facial features, focusing on accurate proportions and subtle value changes to create a sense of form.
step 04
Develop the beard, using short, broken brushstrokes to suggest the texture of the hair.
step 05
Work on the clothing, paying attention to the folds and creases in the fabric and the way light interacts with the velvet texture.
step 06
Refine the hands, paying attention to the bone structure and the subtle value changes that create a sense of depth.
step 07
Add details such as the buttons, collar, and any jewelry.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, raw sienna, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Achieve the dark velvet tones by mixing ivory black with burnt umber and a touch of ultramarine blue.

techniques

·portraiture
·value studies
·blending
·scumbling
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Over-blending the skin tones, resulting in a flat and lifeless appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle value changes that create form and depth.
→Making the beard look too uniform and unnatural.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (ivory black, burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette knife