plate no. 7683

George Otto Trevelyan, Bt, OM, Honorary Fellow, Politician and Author

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingchairbook

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, capturing likeness, and rendering realistic skin tones and textures. It also provides practice in creating depth and form through subtle value changes and blending.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic proportions and pose of the figure on the canvas using a light pencil.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with a thin wash of burnt umber.
step 03
Block in the background with a mix of browns and ochres, focusing on creating a smooth, even tone.
step 04
Begin layering the skin tones on the face, starting with the mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
step 05
Paint the clothing, paying attention to the folds and wrinkles to create a sense of volume.
step 06
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, using small brushes and precise strokes.
step 07
Refine the details of the hands and other accessories, such as the book and glasses.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · ivory black · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Use burnt umber and black for shadows, and add blue to cool down the tones. Mix browns with varying amounts of black and umber for the clothing and background.

techniques

·portraiture
·blending
·glazing
·value studies
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong, leading to an inaccurate likeness.
→Overworking the painting, resulting in a muddy or lifeless appearance.
→Failing to create enough contrast between light and shadow, making the portrait look flat.
→Not paying attention to the subtle color variations in the skin tones.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, ivory black, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue)
·set of oil painting brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags or paper towels