plate no. 6370
Diomede V. Kiselev
Vasily Tropinin, 1834
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting textures and fabrics.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 7 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch of the figure's pose and proportions on the canvas.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: background, clothing, skin tones.
- step 03
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 04
Develop the details of the clothing, including the folds and highlights.
- step 05
Add the details of the desk and objects on it.
- step 06
Refine the values and contrasts to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna
Mix skin tones using white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use black and umber for the dark clothing, adding white for highlights. Mix yellow ochre and white for the vest.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·blending
- ·glazing
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·fabric rendering
common pitfalls
- →Incorrect proportions of the figure
- →Uneven skin tones
- →Overblending, resulting in a flat appearance
- →Ignoring subtle value changes
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium-sized canvas (16x20 inches) is recommended.
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