plate no. 6015

Man holding book

oil, panelNorthern Renaissanceportraitportraitmanbookhandsclothinghat

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle value gradations to create realistic skin tones. Students will also learn to render textures and details in clothing and accessories.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the basic shapes of the head, body, hands, and book.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, clothing, background, and book.
step 03
Begin layering the skin tones, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in value and hue.
step 04
Develop the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Refine the clothing, adding folds and shadows to create depth.
step 06
Paint the hands, paying attention to the anatomy and the way they hold the book.
step 07
Add details to the book, including the pages and the gold edges.
step 08
Refine the background and add any final details.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and umber. Shadows are created by adding more umber and blue. The clothing is primarily black with subtle variations in value.

techniques