plate no. 3682
Leonard Bernstein
Abdul Mati Klarwein, 1964
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students understand dramatic lighting and how to create form using value contrast. It also provides practice in rendering fine details in a limited palette.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
5
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the outline of the head, shoulders, and the glowing outline.
- step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the background and the shadowed side of the face.
- step 03
Begin building up the mid-tones on the lit side of the face, focusing on the planes of the face.
- step 04
Carefully render the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to subtle value changes.
- step 05
Work on the hair, using short strokes to create texture and volume.
- step 06
Refine the glowing outline, ensuring it is smooth and consistent in width.
- step 07
Add highlights to the face and hair to enhance the sense of light and form.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and details to achieve a balanced and realistic portrait.
color palette
primary · ivory black · titanium white
secondary · payne's gray
Mix various shades of gray by combining black and white in different proportions. Use a touch of Payne's gray to create cooler shadows.
techniques
- ·value shading
- ·blending
- ·hatching
- ·highlighting
- ·chiaroscuro
common pitfalls
- →Failing to establish a strong value range, resulting in a flat image.
- →Over-blending, which can make the portrait look muddy.
- →Inaccurate proportions in the initial sketch.
- →Ignoring subtle value changes in the face, leading to a lack of realism.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·graphite pencils
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will facilitate blending.
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