plate no. 8608

John Dougherty

oilImpressionismportraitportraitmanhatbeardfigureclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating soft, diffused lighting effects. It also offers practice in capturing a likeness with loose brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, hat, and shoulders lightly on the canvas.
step 02
Establish the overall background color using a thin wash of muted greens and browns.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, hat, beard, and clothing, focusing on value relationships.
step 04
Begin to refine the facial features, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in color and value.
step 05
Develop the texture of the beard and hat using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Soften edges and blend colors to create a sense of atmosphere and depth.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create a focal point.
step 08
Refine details and make final adjustments to the composition.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · burnt sienna

secondary · yellow ochre · sap green · alizarin crimson

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt sienna, raw umber, and titanium white, adjusting the proportions to create variations in warmth and coolness. Muted greens are created by mixing sap green with raw umber and a touch of white.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·scumbling
·soft blending
·broken color
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Creating harsh lines and edges instead of soft transitions.
→Failing to capture the subtle value changes in the skin tones.
→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, sap green, alizarin crimson)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife