plate no. 4662

Emperor Frederick III of Germany, King of Prussia with his wife, Empress Victoria, and their children, Prince William and Princess Charlotte

oilRomanticismportraitfiguresportraitcolumnsskyclothingfamily

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly capturing likeness and rendering complex fabrics and textures. It also provides practice in creating depth and atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 40 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, paying attention to the placement and proportions of the figures and architectural elements.
step 02
Establish the background with broad washes of color, focusing on the sky and the columns.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures, defining the light and shadow areas.
step 04
Begin to refine the details of the faces, focusing on capturing the likeness of each individual.
step 05
Work on the clothing, paying close attention to the folds, textures, and embellishments.
step 06
Add details to the background, such as the foliage and architectural details.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting the values and colors as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing titanium white, alizarin crimson, cadmium yellow, and a touch of burnt umber. Create the fabric colors by mixing the primary colors with white and small amounts of secondary colors for subtle variations.

techniques

·portraiture
·fabric rendering
·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of figures
→Overworking details too early
→Muddying colors by over-mixing
→Failing to capture likeness
→Ignoring the importance of light and shadow

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 24x36
·Oil paints (ivory black, titanium white, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, burnt umber, yellow ochre)
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags