plate no. 0382

John Pickering

oil, canvasBaroqueportraitportraitfigureclothinghatscrollhand

some experience helpful

This painting provides an opportunity to practice portraiture, including skin tone mixing and rendering of fabrics. Students can also learn about creating depth through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, paying attention to the placement of the head, hands, and scroll.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of dark brown, gradually building up the darker tones.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: the skin tones, the black robe, the white collar, and the green hat.
step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, using subtle variations in color and value to create a sense of form and volume.
step 05
Add details to the clothing, such as the folds and wrinkles in the robe and the texture of the hat.
step 06
Carefully render the hand and the scroll, paying attention to the details of the fingers and the geometric diagram.
step 07
Refine the background, adding subtle highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to the face and clothing to complete the painting.

color palette

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

secondary · viridian green · raw umber · cadmium red light

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of red. The black robe is a mix of ivory black and raw umber. The hat is a mix of viridian green and raw umber, lightened with white.

techniques