plate no. 2394

Charles Hodge

oilNeoclassicismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingglasseshair

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in blending skin tones and creating subtle gradations of light and shadow. It also provides practice in rendering realistic textures, particularly in the hair and clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch of the figure's proportions and pose.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: background, skin, clothing.
step 03
Establish the darkest and lightest values to create a sense of form.
step 04
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending colors, paying attention to subtle variations.
step 05
Develop the details of the hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and shadows.
step 07
Add the details of the glasses and other accessories.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create a range of blacks and grays for the clothing.

techniques

·blending
·layering
·scumbling
·glazing
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Overblending, resulting in a flat and lifeless appearance.
→Using too much white, which can make the skin look chalky.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in skin tone.
→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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