plate no. 7416

Guillaume Dubufe

Émile Friant, 1905

oilRealismportraitportraitfiguremanartisteaselpalette

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 depicting textures and creating a sense of depth through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, paying attention to proportions and placement of the figure and easel.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of warm yellow-brown.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, easel, and palette using simplified values.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, focusing on accurate proportions and subtle value changes to create form.
step 05
Develop the clothing and background, adding details and textures.
step 06
Work on the easel and palette, capturing the colors and textures of the paint.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Refine details and make final adjustments to the composition and color balance.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light

Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining the primary colors. Use white to lighten values and create highlights. Add small amounts of blue or red to adjust the temperature of the colors.

techniques