plate no. 7185

Levi Fletcher

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghistoricalface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portrait painting, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in creating subtle gradations of value and color to model form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the background and major areas of light and shadow.
step 03
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the placement and proportions of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 04
Mix and apply skin tones, layering and blending colors to create realistic transitions between light and shadow.
step 05
Define the details of the hair, clothing, and collar, using smaller brushes and finer strokes.
step 06
Refine the edges of the forms, softening some and sharpening others to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to enhance the three-dimensionality of the figure.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors, values, and details to achieve a cohesive and lifelike portrait.