plate no. 2458

John Henry Newman

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitfigurerobeslacejewelrychair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting fabric folds and textures with visible brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and chair.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin underpainting using burnt umber.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the red robes and background.
step 04
Develop the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 05
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Add details to the robes, including the folds, buttons, and lace.
step 07
Paint the jewelry and other accessories.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · cadmium red · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Mix various shades of red by combining cadmium red with burnt umber and titanium white. Use yellow ochre and ivory black to create subtle variations in skin tone.

techniques

·portrait painting
·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones and losing the subtle variations.
→Making the red robes too flat and uniform.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (cadmium red, burnt umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, ivory black)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife