plate no. 5116

Fernand De Magellan

oilAcademicismportraitportraitfiguremanbeardhatclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding value and shadow to create depth.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 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 with a thin wash of neutral color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, focusing on accurate color mixing and subtle value changes.
step 04
Define the features of the face, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Work on the beard and hair, using varied brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 06
Paint the clothing, capturing the folds and textures of the fabric and fur.
step 07
Refine the background, ensuring it complements the subject without distracting from it.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to enhance the realism and bring the portrait to life.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of red. Use raw umber and black for shadows and beard, adding white for highlights.

techniques

·portraiture
·value study
·blending
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones and losing the subtle variations.
→Failing to create enough contrast between light and shadow.
→Ignoring the details in the clothing and background.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints: raw umber, burnt sienna, ivory black, titanium white, cadmium red, yellow ochre
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil