plate no. 4373
John D. Binns
William Logsdail, 1918
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, capturing likeness, and rendering subtle skin tones. It also offers practice in painting dark fabrics and achieving a realistic representation of light and shadow.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and suit on the canvas.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of neutral tones.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, hair, and clothing, focusing on value relationships.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the highlights and shadows that define the form.
- step 05
Develop the details of the hair and beard, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 06
Work on the suit, using darker values to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Add highlights to the collar and tie to create contrast.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition, ensuring that the values and colors are balanced.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light
secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Darken the suit with ivory black and raw umber, adding small amounts of blue for depth. Use white to lighten the beard and collar.
techniques
- ·portrait painting
- ·value study
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Inaccurate proportions in the initial sketch.
- →Overly harsh or unnatural skin tones.
- →Lack of depth and dimension in the suit.
- →Ignoring subtle variations in value and color.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, titanium white, cadmium red light, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue)
- ·palette
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
- ·palette knife
- ·rags
optional
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·varnish
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to improve the flow and drying time of the paint.
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