plate no. 7386

Dr Andrew Gifford (1700–1784), Assistant Librarian (1756–1784)

oilRococoportraitportraitfiguremanwigclothingdocument

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, skin tone mixing, and rendering of fabrics. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and form through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic oval composition and the figure's pose, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: background, clothing, skin, and wig.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, mixing subtle variations of color and value.
step 04
Develop the details of the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Add details to the wig, using highlights and shadows to create volume.
step 06
Refine the clothing, paying attention to the folds and drapery.
step 07
Paint the hand and the document, adding subtle details.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth and form.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. The background is primarily raw umber with subtle variations. Black is used for the clothing, lightened with white for highlights.

techniques