plate no. 5963

Josef Kriehuber, Austrian Lithographer (Self-portrait)

lithographyBiedermeierself-portraitportraitmanbeardhairclothingface

some experience helpful

This drawing is a great exercise in value shading and rendering textures like hair and fabric with graphite. Students can improve their understanding of light and shadow to create depth and form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light outline of the portrait, focusing on proportions and key features.
step 02
Begin shading the darkest areas, such as the hair and beard, using cross-hatching.
step 03
Gradually build up the mid-tones in the face and clothing, paying attention to the direction of light.
step 04
Use a blending stump or tortillon to smooth out the shading and create subtle transitions.
step 05
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth to capture the likeness of the subject.
step 06
Refine the edges of the portrait and add highlights to create a sense of depth.
step 07
Erase any unnecessary lines and clean up the background.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · graphite · white (paper)

secondary · light gray · dark gray

Vary pressure and layering to achieve different shades of gray.

techniques

·hatching
·cross-hatching
·blending
·value shading
·rendering texture

common pitfalls

→Applying too much pressure too early, making it difficult to erase mistakes.
→Not paying attention to the direction of light, resulting in flat or unrealistic shading.
→Over-blending, which can make the drawing look muddy and lose detail.
→Ignoring proportions, leading to an inaccurate likeness.