plate no. 1154

Grotesque Profile

oilEarly Renaissancesketch and studyfigureportraitprofileheadsketchgrotesque

what to study here

It shows how a single ink and tightly controlled hatching can model a distorted face, with no blending and a clear light-to-shadow divide.

Look at how tone is built here without any blending. The face sits in two clear zones: a lit right side (temple, cheekbone, nose bridge) and a shadowed left side (jaw, lower face, neck). Light comes from the upper left, and the profile line is a clean, deliberate stroke that holds the head together. Value comes from parallel hatching in sepia on cream paper. The lines follow the anatomical form and cluster tighter where shadow deepens. Mid-tones gather around the nose and lips as line density increases. The hair is the darkest mass, made of dense, sweeping parallel strokes that suggest volume and movement. Study how the hair's energy contrasts with the controlled face. Below the head, a separate construction study uses straight lines with little variation, which shows two drawing modes on one sheet. Practice the sepia range: dilute for the nose, ear and transition zones, medium for lower face and neck, full strength or repeated passes for the eye socket, jaw and outline. Copy the head in ink and watch how line spacing alone does the modeling.

key decision

The painter built all value through layered parallel hatching in sepia, with line density doing the modeling, and kept the profile contour as a sharp, clean line. No blending or stumping is used.

recreation guide

This recreation guide focuses on Leonardo da Vinci’s 'Grotesque Profile' (1487), a work characterized by its study of physiognomy and the application of early oil techniques. While the specific visual details of this particular sketch are not exhaustively described in the provided sources, the artwork falls within Leonardo’s documented practice of using oil to achieve subtle gradations of tone and shadow, a technique he refined during his apprenticeship with Verrocchio (Source 6). The piece likely employs the principles of chiaroscuro to define form, a method Leonardo used to hold compositions together through light and shade rather than hard outlines (Source 4). Furthermore, the work reflects Leonardo’s interest in the 'subtle gradation of tone' and the emotional registration of expression, qualities that distinguish his unique approach to figurative composition (Source 7).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

7 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, Black, White, Red, Yellow)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing	High-quality tube oils; Ultramarine blue, Ivory Black, Titanium White, Cadmium Red/Yellow or Earth tones
Oil of Copavia (or modern linseed/walnut oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings, as specified by Reynolds’ method which aligns with old master practices	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent coats	Dammar or Mastic varnish
Panel or Canvas	Support for the oil medium	Primed wood panel or heavy cotton canvas
Charcoal or Silverpoint	Underdrawing to establish the outline basis	Vine charcoal or graphite

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a smooth ground to allow for the 'extremely smooth nature of the painterly technique' associated with Leonardo, where brushstrokes are indistinguishable (Source 5). The surface should be sealed to prevent oil absorption, ensuring that the glazes remain transparent and luminous rather than sinking into the support.

underdrawing

Begin with a simple outline basis. Leonardo and his contemporaries were faithful to the outline as the means of holding pictures together, even when using light and shade (chiaroscuro) to model form (Source 4). This underdrawing should define the major masses and contours of the profile without excessive detail, serving as the structural skeleton for the subsequent tonal work.

underpainting

Create a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (Source 1). This step involves 'mentally extracting the red and yellow colours' to establish the value structure of the face (Source 1). This monochrome layer must be allowed to dry completely before proceeding to color glazing.

color palette

Black

Ivory Black or Lamp Black

Underpainting shadows and defining the outline basis

Ultramarine

Natural Ultramarine

Underpainting mid-tones and shadows, providing a cool base for glazing

White

Lead White (historical) or Titanium White (modern)

Underpainting highlights and mixing with black/blue for grisaille

Red

Vermilion or Red Earth

Glazing warm tones over the dry grisaille, particularly in flesh tones

Yellow

Yellow Ochre or Lead-Tin Yellow

Glazing warm highlights and flesh tones, applied as transparent coats

composition

The composition relies on the organization of line, shape, and value to create a cohesive visual structure (Source 3). Leonardo characteristically uses the human form in figurative composition to explore physiognomy and emotion (Source 7). The profile view allows for a focus on the contour and the subtle gradation of tone across the facial features, avoiding the distraction of complex background details, consistent with his focus on the 'emotional intentions of the artist expressed through them' (Source 4).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the profile outline using charcoal or silverpoint, focusing on the major contours of the nose, lips, and chin.
Tip — Keep lines light and flexible; this serves as the structural foundation.
Outline Basis

underpainting

step 02
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia. Paint the entire face in monochrome (grisaille), establishing the light and shadow structure.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors; focus solely on value and form.
Grisaille
step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. This is critical before applying any color glazes.
Tip — Rushing this step will muddy the subsequent glazes.
Drying

first pass

step 04
Apply transparent glazes of red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille. Use oil as the medium initially.
Tip — Apply thin, transparent coats similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Glazing

refining

step 05
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones, particularly over darker grounds to achieve a 'grey bloom' or coldness if needed.
Tip — Ensure the underlying painting makes itself felt through the semi-opaque layer.
Scumbling

finishing

step 06
Refine the transitions between tones to achieve the 'subtle gradation of tone' characteristic of Leonardo’s work.
Tip — Blend edges so that brushstrokes are indistinguishable, creating a smooth, smoky effect.
Sfumato

varnishing

step 07
Once fully dry, apply a final varnish to unify the surface and protect the glazes.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry to prevent cracking.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry monochrome underpainting to build up luminosity and depth. This was a common practice among old masters, including Leonardo.

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint to modify tones, particularly to create coldness or grey blooms over darker grounds.

Sfumato

Blending tones so subtly that there are no visible brushstrokes, creating a 'smoky' transition between light and shadow. This is a hallmark of Leonardo’s mature style.

Chiaroscuro

Using light and shade to model form and hold the composition together, relying on an underlying outline basis.

common pitfalls

→Applying color glazes before the grisaille is completely dry, which will result in muddy colors and loss of transparency (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied down to the outline, which can lead to a 'smallness' in the finish (Source 2).
→Using opaque paint instead of transparent glazes, which defeats the purpose of the old master technique of building luminosity through layers (Source 1).
→Focusing too much on realistic detail at the expense of the 'large sense of design' and emotional appeal (Source 4).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·The specific pigments used by Leonardo in 1487 are not detailed in the sources; modern equivalents are suggested based on general period practice.
·The exact dimensions and support material (wood panel vs. paper) for 'Grotesque Profile' are not specified in the sources.
·The specific facial features or expression of the 'Grotesque Profile' are not described in the sources, so the guide focuses on general technique rather than specific iconography.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting, Glazing, Scumbling, and Varnishing steps
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- STUDY BY WATTEAU — applied to Underdrawing and Chiaroscuro technique
Composition (visual arts)↗
- part 1 — applied to General composition principles

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia bio — Leonardo da Vinci↗
- part 5 — applied to Sfumato technique and smooth brushwork
- part 11 — applied to General characteristics of Leonardo's work, including gradation of tone and physiognomy
- part 3 — applied to Context of Leonardo's training and early oil techniques

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

A profile head facing right, exaggerated with grotesque features—a hooked nose, protruding lower lip, and expressive mouth—anchors the composition. Light rakes across the face from the upper left, leaving the left cheekbone and forehead relatively bright against deep shadow pooling on the jaw and neck. The hair bursts upward and backward in wild, energetic parallel hatching strokes that dominate the upper third. Below, a technical or anatomical diagram suggests construction lines and a bow-like structure, grounding the study.

value structure

The aged cream paper is the lightest value; the face sits in two clear zones—illuminated right side (temple, cheekbone, nose bridge in near-light) and shadowed left side (jaw, lower face, shadowed neck in deep brown). Hair is the darkest mass due to dense cross-hatching. Mid-tones cluster around the nose and lips where ink density builds. Squinting reveals a strong light-to-shadow divide following the profile contour, with the lower jaw and throat in full shadow.

observed palette and mixes

#eaddc1
Paper tone (cream aged support)
Highlight zones: right cheekbone, forehead, parts of the throat; background of lower technical study
#dbc4a0
Sepia ink—lightly applied or dilute
Mid-tone areas: nose, upper lip, ear, transition zones on the face
#cfb18d
Sepia ink—medium concentration
Mid-shadows: lower face, neck contours, first pass of hair hatching
#a77f60
Sepia ink—full strength or multiple passes
Deepest shadows: left cheek and jaw, dense hair hatching, eye socket, outline strokes

edges and brushwork

Edges are sharp and controlled; the profile line is a clean, deliberate stroke. Value is built almost entirely through parallel hatching—multiple thin lines follow anatomical form, clustering tighter in shadow zones. Hair is rendered in directional, sweeping strokes that suggest volume and movement. The lower technical drawing uses precise, straight construction lines with minimal variation; there is no blending or stumping, only layered line density.

a working sequence

01
Establish the profile and proportions
Using a fine liner or hard pencil (2H), lightly draw the profile outline from crown through nose, lips, and chin. Mark the major anatomical points: brow, eye orbit, nose tip, lip line, jaw angle, and ear position. Use light, confident strokes—this is your armature, and accuracy here determines everything downstream.
02
Map light and shadow
Identify the light source (upper left) and block in shadow zones with a light wash or dilute sepia. The left side of the profile (cheek, jaw, neck) receives shadow; the right side (temple, cheekbone) stays bright. The hair will be your darkest mass, so reserve that zone for later depth.
03
Build hair with directional hatching
Work into the upper left with parallel strokes following the outward and upward flow of the wild hair. Start with looser, single-direction hatching; gradually layer and cross-hatch in the darkest regions (crown, temple side). Let the strokes follow the form—they should curve and redirect subtly with the head's volume.
04
Develop the shadow side of the face
Using sepia ink and a small brush or fine pen, add parallel hatching to the left (shadow) side of the face, neck, and lower jaw. Build value gradually with thin strokes—don't rush to black. The eye socket, nostril underside, and the deep shadow of the mouth should be your darkest accents.
05
Refine the facial features
Define the nose profile with a sharp outline and shadow hatching beneath the bridge and on the tip. Exaggerate the lower lip and the downturned mouth corners—these grotesque distortions are essential to character. The ear should show clear internal structure (spiral and lobe) with subtle shading.
06
Add cross-hatching and deepen contrast
Layer hatching strokes perpendicular to your first pass in shadow zones. This builds rich, complex tone without muddying. Deepen the jaw shadow, the hair crown, and any areas that need to recede. Pay attention to how strokes follow the surface—they twist subtly around the cheek and wrap around the neck.
07
Sketch the technical study at bottom
Below the head, lightly establish the geometric construction—straight lines forming a bow or arrow-like form with radiating construction lines. This may be anatomical or mechanical study; keep it subordinate to the portrait, using thinner lines and less ink.
08
Final refinement and accents
Stand back and assess value depth. Darken key features if needed: the profile outline where it reads weak, the shadowed areas of the jaw and neck, the densest part of the hair. Add a few accent strokes to the eye and nostril. Age the paper subtly if desired—small brown stains or foxing spots can enhance authenticity without compromising legibility.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Overexaggerating the grotesque features—the distortions are pronounced but anatomically grounded; resist caricature that loses believability.
Allowing hair hatching to become chaotic or lose directional intent—every stroke should follow a logic of form and light, not random gesture.
Flattening the transition from light face to shadow—the shift is clear but gradual in mid-tones; rushing to full black loses the subtle modeling.
Neglecting the profile line as an anchor—if it waivers or loses precision, the whole likeness collapses; redraw it if needed before layering value.

measured difficulty