plate no. 6845

John Joseph Merlin

oil, canvasRococoportraitportraitfigureclothingmanhistoricallace

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations. It will also provide practice in rendering fabric and details like lace.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic proportions and pose of the figure, paying attention to the head-to-body ratio.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: background, skin tones, clothing.
step 03
Refine the facial features, focusing on accurate placement and subtle shading.
step 04
Develop the folds and shadows in the red coat, using layers of color.
step 05
Add details to the lace collar and cuffs, using fine brushstrokes.
step 06
Paint the hands, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 07
Add highlights to the hair and jewelry.
step 08
Refine the background and make final adjustments to the overall composition.

color palette

primary · cadmium red · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, raw umber, and a touch of red and yellow. Create the red coat by mixing cadmium red with a touch of raw umber for shadows and white for highlights.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·blending
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Inaccurate proportions of the face or body.
→Overly harsh or flat skin tones.
→Lack of detail in the lace or jewelry.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (cadmium red, titanium white, raw umber, yellow ochre, ivory black, ultramarine blue)
·assorted round and flat brushes
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife