plate no. 4081

De Witt Clinton

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingbackgroundhistorical

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as understanding value and color relationships in creating form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the background, clothing, and skin tones.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to light and shadow.
step 05
Develop the details of the clothing and background pattern.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine edges and blend transitions for a smooth finish.
step 08
Add final details and adjust colors as needed.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing titanium white, cadmium red, and a touch of burnt umber or yellow ochre. Create the background color by mixing burnt umber with a small amount of cadmium red and ivory black.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·blending
·value study
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the skin tones and making them look muddy.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in value.
→Ignoring the background and making it too distracting.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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