plate no. 0283
Karl Friedrich Tettenborn
Josef Kriehuber, 1837
some experience helpful
Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in painting details like clothing and medals.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, paying attention to the head, shoulders, and clothing.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash.
- step 03
Begin layering in the skin tones, starting with the mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
- step 04
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and drapery. Use darker values for the shadows and lighter values for the highlights.
- step 05
Carefully render the details of the medals and other accessories.
- step 06
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Glaze with thin washes to unify the colors and create a sense of atmosphere.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light
secondary · ivory black · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre
Mix skin tones by blending white, red, and umber. Use blue and umber to create cooler shadows. Add yellow ochre to warm up the skin tones.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·layering
- ·color mixing
- ·rendering details
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·painting easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a canvas with a smooth surface for easier blending.
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