plate no. 0716

Johann Friedrich von Sachsen

oilNorthern Renaissanceportraitportraitfigureclothinglandscapebackgroundhands

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of skin tones, as well as understanding how to create depth and texture in clothing and fur.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the head, shoulders, and hands.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of the light blue-green color.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones and shadows on the face and hands.
step 04
Start layering the fur collar, paying attention to the direction of the fur and the subtle color variations.
step 05
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and shadows to create volume.
step 06
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, and refine the beard and hair.
step 07
Paint the small landscape in the background, simplifying the details.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall realism and depth.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · Prussian blue · cadmium red light · viridian

Mix skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Achieve the fur color by layering different shades of brown and black. The background color is a mix of white, blue, and green.

techniques

·portraiture
·layering
·blending
·scumbling
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Making the fur look flat and lifeless.
→Not paying attention to the subtle color variations in the skin tones.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, Prussian blue, cadmium red light, viridian)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife