plate no. 3860
Head of a Boy
Laszlo Mednyanszky, 1890
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form using value and color. It also provides practice in loose brushwork and creating a sense of depth with a limited palette.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and hair.
- step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of dark brown.
- step 03
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face using a mid-tone brown.
- step 04
Add darker values to define the features and hair, paying attention to the direction of light.
- step 05
Introduce lighter values to the face and hair to create highlights and volume.
- step 06
Paint the clothing, focusing on the dark jacket and the white shirt, capturing the folds and shadows.
- step 07
Refine the details of the face, hair, and clothing, adjusting values and edges as needed.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to bring the portrait to life.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · ivory black
Mix burnt umber and raw sienna for the skin tones, adding white for highlights and ultramarine blue/ivory black for shadows. Use ultramarine blue and ivory black for the jacket, and white with a touch of brown for the shirt.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·value studies
- ·loose brushwork
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly quality.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Using too much white and making the colors look chalky.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the skin tones.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium (e.g., Liquin)
Use a canvas with a smooth or slightly textured surface. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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