plate no. 0538

John Loughborough Pearson

oilRomanticismportraitportraitmanbeardsuitfacehair

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness, rendering realistic skin tones, and creating depth through layering and blending. It also provides practice in depicting textures like hair and fabric.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the oval shape and the basic proportions of the head, shoulders, and facial features.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: the background, skin tones, hair/beard, and clothing.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones by layering different shades of warm and cool colors, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 04
Work on the hair and beard, using short, directional brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 05
Define the features of the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, with careful attention to detail.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, such as the collar and lapel, using darker values to create contrast.
step 07
Refine the background, blending the colors to create a soft, atmospheric effect.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall realism of the portrait.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones using yellow ochre, burnt umber, cadmium red, and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create the dark tones in the suit. Mix white with a touch of black and yellow ochre for the grey hair.

techniques