plate no. 7064
Egich Chubar Portrait
Panos Terlemezian, 1933
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and layering pastel for subtle value changes. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and creating a sense of depth with soft edges.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and hat.
- step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and clothing with broad strokes of pastel.
- step 03
Begin layering colors to build up the skin tones, paying attention to subtle shifts in hue and value.
- step 04
Refine the features of the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 05
Add details to the hat and clothing, using darker values to create depth and form.
- step 06
Soften edges and blend colors to create a smooth, realistic effect.
- step 07
Add highlights to the face and clothing to create a sense of luminosity.
- step 08
Finish by refining the background and adding any final details.
color palette
primary · raw umber · yellow ochre · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · sap green
Skin tones are achieved by mixing yellow ochre, raw umber, and titanium white, with small amounts of burnt sienna and ultramarine blue for shadows and cool tones. The background is a mix of sap green, yellow ochre, and raw umber.
techniques
- ·pastel layering
- ·blending
- ·soft edges
- ·value gradation
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the pastel and losing the freshness of the strokes.
- →Using too much pressure and creating a chalky effect.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Ignoring the subtle shifts in color and value.
materials
surface · pastel paper (toned)
required
- ·pastel set (soft pastels)
- ·pastel paper (toned)
- ·kneaded eraser
- ·blending stumps
- ·fixative spray
- ·drawing board
- ·paper towels
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·workable fixative
- ·view finder
Choose a pastel paper with a slightly rough texture to grip the pastel. A toned paper will help to establish the mid-tones of the painting.
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