plate no. 2566
Edward, Prince of Wales, with Monkey
Hans Holbein the Younger, 1541
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering clothing folds. It also provides practice in depicting animal fur and textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the figure, monkey, and background.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background.
- step 03
Develop the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in light and shadow.
- step 04
Add details to the clothing, including folds and textures.
- step 05
Paint the monkey, focusing on the fur and facial features.
- step 06
Refine the details of the hat and other accessories.
- step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth.
- step 08
Glaze or scumble to unify the painting and adjust colors.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · ivory black · titanium white · raw umber
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · cadmium red light
Mix various shades of blue and white for the background. Create skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Use raw umber and burnt sienna for the monkey's fur.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·portraiture
- ·rendering fur
- ·underpainting
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the figure.
- →Ignoring subtle variations in skin tone.
- →Applying paint too thickly.
- →Getting lost in details too early.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic gesso
- ·set of acrylic paints
- ·round brushes
- ·flat brushes
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·retarder medium
- ·glazing medium
- ·varnish
A smooth canvas surface is recommended for achieving fine details. Use a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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