plate no. 8472

Louis d'Armagnac, duc de Nemours

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfigureclothinghatfurmale

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of skin tones. Students will also practice blending and layering techniques to create depth and texture in the fur and clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and hat.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of muted green and brown.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, hair, clothing, and fur.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying attention to highlights and shadows to create form.
step 05
Develop the texture of the fur by layering different shades of brown and using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, including the collar and the stripes on the tunic.
step 07
Refine the hat and add the small decorative element.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall depth and realism of the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red light · raw sienna

Skin tones can be achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Browns for the fur are created by mixing burnt umber and ivory black, with highlights added using raw sienna and yellow ochre.

techniques

·blending
·layering
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the face and body.
→Overblending, resulting in a lack of texture.
→Using colors that are too saturated, making the painting look unnatural.
→Neglecting the subtle variations in skin tone.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (ivory black, burnt umber, yellow ochre, titanium white, cadmium red light, raw sienna)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags