plate no. 3293

Jean Jacques Rousseau

oil, canvasRococoportraitportraitfiguremanfurhatclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and capturing likeness, as well as practice blending and layering techniques to achieve subtle tonal variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic proportions of the head, shoulders, and hand.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin, blended layer of neutral tones.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the face, hat, and clothing with corresponding local colors.
step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to subtle shifts in value and color.
step 05
Add details to the fur collar and hat, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Develop the folds and shadows in the clothing, focusing on the interplay of light and shadow.
step 07
Refine the hand, paying attention to the subtle bone structure and skin tones.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · raw sienna · alizarin crimson

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre

Mix various shades of brown and gray for the background and fur. Use alizarin crimson and white to achieve the pinkish hue of the clothing. Add small amounts of yellow ochre to warm up skin tones.

techniques

·blending
·layering
·scumbling
·glazing
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the face
→Overly harsh or muddy color mixtures
→Lack of subtle tonal variations
→Ignoring the underlying bone structure of the hand

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints (titanium white, burnt umber, raw sienna, alizarin crimson, ivory black, yellow ochre)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife