plate no. 7693

John Vaughn

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanbookclothingred background

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 blending and layering to create soft transitions and subtle details.

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, book, and background.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the skin tones, clothing, and background.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Add details to the clothing and book, such as folds, textures, and lettering.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a sense of depth and realism.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber

Mix skin tones using titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of ultramarine blue. Achieve the red background by mixing cadmium red with burnt umber and white for highlights.

techniques