plate no. 3170

Jules Luquet

oilRealismportraitportraitfiguremanbeardclothingdark background

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand value relationships in a limited palette and practice portrait proportions. It also provides experience in rendering fabric and facial hair.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic proportions of the head, shoulders, and hand.
step 02
Establish the darkest and lightest values with thin washes of paint.
step 03
Block in the mid-tones of the face and clothing, paying attention to the direction of light.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, focusing on accurate placement and value relationships.
step 05
Add details to the beard and hair, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Develop the folds and shadows in the clothing, blending carefully.
step 07
Refine the hand, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone.
step 08
Adjust the background to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

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

secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing white with small amounts of burnt umber, raw umber, and yellow ochre. Use ivory black sparingly to darken values. Create subtle variations in the clothing by mixing different proportions of umber and black.

techniques