plate no. 6213

Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin

oilRococoportraitportraitfiguremanclothingwiglace

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in painting textures like fabric and lace.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the figure, focusing on proportions and pose.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: background, skin tones, wig, and clothing.
step 03
Refine the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Add details to the wig, using small brushstrokes to create the illusion of individual hairs.
step 05
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and shadows to create depth.
step 06
Add the lace details, using a fine brush and light colors.
step 07
Paint the buttons, adding highlights and shadows to make them look three-dimensional.
step 08
Refine the background and add any final details.

color palette

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

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by blending white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use ultramarine to cool down skin tones. Achieve the dark brown of the coat by mixing umber, black, and a touch of red.

techniques

·portrait painting
·glazing
·scumbling
·blending
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in skin tone.
→Getting lost in the details and losing the overall composition.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 18x24
·Oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, titanium white, cadmium red light, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue)
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Rags