plate no. 0186

Head of an Old Man

oilBaroqueportraitportraitold manbeardhairfigureface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in chiaroscuro and portraiture, focusing on subtle value shifts to create form and depth. It's also a good exercise in rendering hair and beard textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a dark umber wash.
step 02
Lightly sketch the basic proportions and placement of the head and beard.
step 03
Block in the darkest areas of the background and shadows on the face and beard using a dark brown.
step 04
Begin layering lighter tones on the face, building up the highlights gradually.
step 05
Work on the beard, using a variety of brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Add final highlights to the hair and beard to create a sense of luminosity.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and add depth.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · ivory black · cadmium yellow (small amount) · venetian red (small amount)

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and small amounts of burnt umber and venetian red. Use varying ratios to create subtle value changes. Darken the shadows with burnt umber and ivory black.

techniques