plate no. 9300

Charles VII De France

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfigureclothinghatjewelrymale

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone blending. It also provides practice in rendering textures like velvet, fur, and metal.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, hat, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin layer of dark color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, hat, and clothing, focusing on accurate values.
step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, using subtle layers of color to create depth and form.
step 05
Add details to the hat, including the gold trim and pearls.
step 06
Work on the fur collar, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 07
Paint the gold chain and pendant, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 08
Add final details and refine the overall composition.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · viridian green · gold

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of burnt umber, adjusting with white for highlights and ivory black for shadows. Achieve the velvet green by mixing viridian green and ivory black.

techniques