plate no. 5769

Jozef Szujski

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfigurerobechairornamentbeard

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering complex textures like fabric and fur. It also provides practice in layering and glazing techniques to achieve depth and luminosity.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using a limited palette of earth tones.
step 03
Begin layering the red robe, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
step 04
Develop the face, focusing on accurate proportions and subtle value changes.
step 05
Add details to the beard, hair, and ornaments.
step 06
Render the fur collar with short, broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the background and chair, adding details as needed.
step 08
Apply a final glaze to unify the painting and enhance the colors.

color palette

primary · crimson · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Achieve the rich reds by mixing crimson with burnt sienna and a touch of black. Use white and yellow ochre to create highlights on the fur and ornaments. Vary the red tones by adding small amounts of other colors.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·chiaroscuro
·portraiture

common pitfalls

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

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (crimson, ivory black, raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags