plate no. 5735

Mariano de la Paz Graells

Alejandro Cabeza, 2016

oilRealismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingfacehair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portrait proportions, color mixing for skin tones, and creating depth using value contrast. It also offers practice in capturing likeness and using brushstrokes to define form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic proportions and placement of the figure on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: background, skin tones, clothing.
step 03
Refine the skin tones, paying attention to subtle shifts in color and value.
step 04
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the likeness.
step 05
Work on the clothing, defining the shapes and folds with light and shadow.
step 06
Refine the hair, using brushstrokes to suggest texture and volume.
step 07
Adjust the overall values and colors to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final details and highlights.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red light

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones using white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use black and umber for the dark background, adding small amounts of blue or red to adjust the tone.

techniques

·portrait sketching
·color mixing
·value study
·brushwork
·blending

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong
→Oversaturating the skin tones
→Ignoring the subtle value shifts
→Using too much detail too early
→Not blending enough

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (12x16 or similar)
·Oil paints (ivory black, titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium red light, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue)
·Palette
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Palette knife
·Rags or paper towels