plate no. 5925

Emperor Dom Pedro I (then - prince Pedro) in São Paulo

oilNeoclassicismportraitportraitfigurecityscapeclothingskyhair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle color blending for skin tones. It also provides experience in rendering detailed clothing and a distant cityscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the oval shape and the basic proportions of the figure and background.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin tones, hair, clothing, sky, and cityscape.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones with subtle layers of color, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 04
Add details to the hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 05
Work on the clothing, focusing on the folds and shadows to create depth.
step 06
Develop the background cityscape, simplifying the details and using atmospheric perspective.
step 07
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of realism.

color palette

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

secondary · cerulean blue · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson

Mix skin tones by blending white, red, and yellow ochre, adjusting the proportions to achieve the desired hue. Use cerulean blue and white for the sky, and mix browns and greens for the landscape.

techniques

·portrait painting
·blending
·layering
·atmospheric perspective
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the skin tones and making them look muddy.
→Failing to create a sense of depth in the background.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (oval if possible, or square)
·acrylic or oil paints
·round brushes (sizes 0, 2, 4)
·flat brush (size 6)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
·odorless mineral spirits

optional

·medium gloss
·retouch varnish

A smooth canvas surface will be best for achieving the subtle blending in this painting. Consider toning the canvas with a thin wash of burnt umber before starting.

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