plate no. 1345

John Reeves

oilBaroqueportraitportraitfigurebookscurtainpapersdesk

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in creating depth and atmosphere through subtle value changes and layering.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure and objects.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color, such as the skin tones, clothing, and background.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the highlights and shadows.
step 05
Develop the details of the clothing, books, and other objects, adding texture and form.
step 06
Adjust the values and colors to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 07
Add final highlights and details to the face and hands.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the colors and create a sense of luminosity.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red light

secondary · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson · raw sienna

Mix skin tones using white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Achieve darks by mixing black and umber, and lighten with white. Use glazes of alizarin crimson to enrich the reds in the curtain and face.

techniques

·portraiture
·value studies
·glazing
·blending
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Making the darks too flat and lifeless.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints (ivory black, titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium red light, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, raw sienna)
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags