plate no. 2426

Head

Konstantin Makovsky, 1900

oilRomanticismportraitportraitwomanhairfacefigureromanticism

recreation guide

Konstantin Makovsky’s 'Head' (1900) is a portrait executed in oil, reflecting the artist’s standing within the realist and figurative traditions of Russian art at the turn of the 20th century. While specific visual details of this particular head study are not described in the provided sources, Makovsky’s practice is grounded in the rigorous craftsmanship required for oil painting, where the artist must master the medium’s capacities to avoid being 'dumb' in expression (Source 1). The work likely adheres to the traditional oil painting techniques of the period, emphasizing the 'fat over lean' rule to ensure structural integrity and proper drying (Source 2). As a portrait, the intent is to achieve a recognizable likeness, a skill that required centuries for artists to refine (Source 4).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

7 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints	Primary medium for the portrait	—
Linseed oil	To mix with paint for consistency and to adhere to the 'fat over lean' rule	Refined linseed oil
Mineral spirits or turpentine	To thin paint for underdrawing and initial layers, and for cleaning brushes	Odorless mineral spirits
Canvas	Support surface for the oil painting	Primed linen or cotton canvas
Charcoal or thinned paint	For the initial sketch/underdrawing	Vine charcoal or raw umber thinned with solvent
Paintbrushes	Traditional tool for transferring paint to the surface	Hog bristle and sable brushes
Palette knives and rags	For scraping, mixing, and adjusting paint texture or removing wet layers	Flexible palette knives and lint-free rags

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming methods for Makovsky are not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting requires a stable surface to prevent cracking. The 'fat over lean' rule implies that the initial layers must be leaner (more solvent, less oil) than subsequent layers (Source 2).

underdrawing

Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 2). For a portrait, this underdrawing establishes the likeness and proportions before paint is applied.

underpainting

The sources suggest that copying works like Van Eyck’s or Reynolds’s can help artists who struggle with finish or over-modeling (Source 1). An underpainting (imprimatura) may be used to establish values and tones. Makovsky, as a realist, likely employed a tonal underpainting to guide the subsequent color layers, consistent with the practice of building up form through value (Source 3).

color palette

Skin tones

Earth tones (umber, ochre) mixed with white and subtle reds/blues

General use in this artist's palette for realistic flesh rendering

Background tones

Neutral grays or browns

General use to contrast with the head and emphasize form

Highlights

Titanium white or lead white (historically) with subtle warm tints

General use for catching light on the face

composition

The composition of a portrait focuses on the organization of visual elements such as line, shape, value, and form to create a cohesive whole (Source 3). In Makovsky’s 'Head', the central visual element is the human subject, with the composition likely arranged to emphasize the likeness and psychological presence of the sitter, consistent with the genre’s intent to represent a specific human subject (Source 4). Specific compositional moves are not described in the sources, so the artist should focus on balancing the positive space of the head with the negative space of the background.

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the head onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint to establish proportions and likeness.
Tip — Ensure the likeness is recognizable early on, as this is the primary intent of portrait painting (Source 4).
Traditional underdrawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a thin layer of paint (lean) to establish the basic values and tones of the head and background.
Tip — Keep this layer lean (more solvent) to adhere to the 'fat over lean' rule (Source 2).
Imprimatura

first pass

step 03
Begin building up the forms with broader masses of paint, focusing on the overall structure rather than fine details.
Tip — If you tend to over-model or get too tied down to outlines, refer to Reynolds’s 'Portraits of Two Gentlemen' as a corrective (Source 1).
Blocking in

refining

step 04
Add subsequent layers of paint, ensuring each layer contains more oil than the previous one (fat over lean).
Tip — This prevents cracking and peeling (Source 2). Use brushes, palette knives, or rags to adjust texture and form (Source 2).
Layering

finishing

step 05
Refine the details, particularly the eyes and facial features, to achieve a good likeness.
Tip — If you fail in finish, study Van Eyck’s small head of a man with the red head-dress for guidance (Source 1).
Glazing or scumbling

varnishing

step 06
Allow the painting to dry completely (up to two weeks) before applying a varnish if desired.
Tip — Oil paint dries by oxidation, not evaporation (Source 2).
Varnishing

critical techniques

Fat over Lean

Each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to allow proper drying and prevent cracking (Source 2).

Copying for Correction

Copying specific works can address weaknesses, such as over-modeling or lack of finish (Source 1).

Likeness Achievement

The primary goal of portrait painting is to achieve a recognizable likeness of the sitter (Source 4).

common pitfalls

→Applying lean layers over fat layers, which can cause the painting to crack and peel (Source 2).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied down to outlines, which can result in a stiff appearance (Source 1).
→Failing to achieve a good likeness, which is the central intent of portrait painting (Source 4).
→Attempting to copy works without first gaining experience from painting from life (Source 1).

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.

·Specific visual details of Makovsky’s 'Head' (1900), such as the subject’s expression, clothing, or background, are not described in the sources.
·Makovsky’s specific pigment choices or palette for this particular work are not detailed.
·The exact dimensions or aspect ratio of the canvas are not provided.
·Specific brushwork styles unique to Makovsky are not described, though general oil painting techniques are covered.

grounded in

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

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- ON COPYING — applied to Underpainting, refining, and correcting weaknesses in finish or modeling

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Materials, underdrawing, fat over lean rule, drying times, and tools
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 1 — applied to General compositional principles
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 1 — applied to Intent of likeness and genre context