plate no. 2056

Gustav Struve

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfigurebookscurtaincityscapeinterior

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding how to create depth and dimension through value and color.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the figure, the background elements (curtain, cityscape, books), and the table.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the darkest and lightest areas with thin washes of color.
step 03
Focus on the face, carefully mixing skin tones and paying attention to the subtle shifts in value to create form.
step 04
Develop the details of the clothing, using darker values to create shadows and lighter values to suggest highlights.
step 05
Work on the background elements, starting with the curtain and then moving on to the cityscape and books.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, adding highlights to the eyes and lips, and defining the features with subtle shadows.
step 07
Add the final details, such as the quill pen, the books on the table, and the highlights on the clothing.
step 08
Make any necessary adjustments to the overall composition to ensure that the painting is balanced and harmonious.

color palette

primary · black · white · red · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · raw sienna

Mix various shades of black using ultramarine blue and burnt umber. Create skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Use raw sienna and burnt umber for the books.

techniques