plate no. 7345

Japanese Portrait

Cristiano Tassinari, 2013

oilContemporary Realismportraitportraitfigurehairclothingjapanese

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, value control, and subtle blending to create realistic skin tones and textures. It also provides practice in capturing the likeness and expression of a subject.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, hair, and shoulders.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the darkest and lightest areas with thin washes.
step 03
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in value that define the planes of the face.
step 04
Develop the hair, using directional brushstrokes to suggest the flow and texture of the strands.
step 05
Add details to the clothing, capturing the pattern and folds with careful observation.
step 06
Refine the background, ensuring it complements the subject without distracting from it.
step 07
Adjust the overall values and contrast to create a sense of depth and realism.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to bring the painting to life.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · payne's gray · yellow ochre

Achieve the subtle skin tones by mixing titanium white with small amounts of raw umber and ivory black. Use payne's gray to darken shadows and create depth. Yellow ochre can be added in small amounts to warm up the skin tones.

techniques