plate no. 4660

Commodore Thomas Smith

oilRococoportraitportraitfigurecolumnskyseaship

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including rendering skin tones and clothing folds, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective in the background. It also offers practice in depicting textures like hair and fabric.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the figure's pose and the placement of the column.
step 02
Establish the background sky and sea using thin washes of color.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure's clothing with base colors.
step 04
Begin refining the face, paying attention to highlights and shadows to create form.
step 05
Develop the details of the clothing, including the folds, buttons, and lace.
step 06
Add the details of the column and the ships in the background.
step 07
Refine the highlights and shadows throughout the painting to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final details and adjust colors as needed.

color palette

primary · red · brown · white · blue

secondary · gold · grey · black

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow, and a touch of brown. Create the red clothing by mixing a vibrant red with subtle variations of brown and black for shadows. The sky is a mix of blues and whites, with hints of grey.

techniques

·portraiture
·blending
·glazing
·atmospheric perspective
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to create a sense of depth in the background.
→Using colors that are too saturated or unnatural.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints: Titanium White, Cadmium Red, Burnt Umber, Ultramarine Blue, Yellow Ochre
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife