plate no. 6432
Fl Boetio
Justus van Gent, 1476
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including proportion and capturing likeness, as well as color mixing to achieve realistic skin tones and fabric textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, book, and background.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, clothing, background, and book.
- step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, paying close attention to highlights and shadows.
- step 04
Develop the details of the clothing, including folds and textures.
- step 05
Add details to the hands, focusing on the complex shapes and shadows.
- step 06
Refine the background and book, adding subtle color variations.
- step 07
Add final highlights and details to the face and clothing.
- step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the colors and add depth.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · green · red · titanium white
secondary · burnt umber · raw sienna
Mix yellow ochre, burnt umber, and white for skin tones; vary proportions for highlights and shadows. Use green with yellow and white for the robe, and red with burnt umber for the hat and shawl.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·color mixing
- ·rendering fabric
- ·chiaroscuro
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Overworking the details too early.
- →Using colors that are too saturated.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits (for cleaning brushes)
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·retouch varnish
Use high-quality paints for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to make the painting process easier.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
related artworks
Aristotle
Justus van Gent
The Man of Sorrows with the Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist
Martin Schongauer
The pride of the beggar sitting on the train of haughtiness
Albrecht Altdorfer
Adoration of the Magi
Quentin Matsys
Christ on the Cross
Albrecht Altdorfer
Frühling - Das Bereiten Der Blumenbeete
Pieter Brueghel the Younger
Group of Men
Rogier van der Weyden
Madonna and Child Holding a Pear
Bernard Van Orley