plate no. 9528

John Yelloly (1774–1842), MD, FRS

oilRococoportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghistoricalface

some experience helpful

This painting provides an opportunity to practice portraiture, focusing on skin tones and subtle value changes to create form. Students can also learn to render fabric and capture a likeness.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of dark brown.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the face with basic skin tone mixtures, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, focusing on accurate placement and proportions of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the clothing, using darker values for the coat and lighter values for the ruffled collar.
step 06
Blend and soften edges to create smooth transitions between values.
step 07
Add subtle details such as highlights in the eyes and texture in the hair.
step 08
Refine the overall composition and make any necessary adjustments.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre · cadmium red

secondary · ultramarine blue · ivory black

Mix skin tones by combining white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of burnt umber. Use ultramarine blue to cool down skin tones in shadow areas. Achieve the dark background by mixing burnt umber and ivory black.

techniques