plate no. 7164
Manuel Gustavo Bordalo Pinheiro
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and creating depth using a limited color palette and visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in depicting textures and rendering clothing folds.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
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 and chair.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color using thin washes of paint.
- step 03
Establish the darkest values in the background and clothing.
- step 04
Begin building up the form of the face, paying attention to subtle shifts in value.
- step 05
Add details to the hands and clothing, focusing on capturing the texture and folds.
- step 06
Refine the background and chair, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
- step 07
Add final details, such as the glasses and any small highlights.
- step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the painting and adjust values.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ivory black · titanium white
secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre
Achieve the skin tones by mixing burnt umber, raw sienna, and titanium white, with small touches of cadmium red light for warmth. Darken areas with ivory black and lighten with more titanium white. Use yellow ochre to create highlights in the chair and background.
techniques
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·glazing
- ·alla prima
- ·chiaroscuro
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Using too much paint and losing the transparency of the washes.
- →Not paying enough attention to the proportions of the figure.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
Use a canvas with a medium texture to allow for expressive brushstrokes. Consider toning the canvas with a thin wash of burnt umber before starting.
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