plate no. 9000

My Little Son, Heber James

James Taylor Harwood, 1910

oil, canvasRealismportraitboycatchairportraitfruitclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as understanding how to create a sense of depth and form through light and shadow.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the proportions of the boy, cat, and chair.
step 02
Establish the background with a warm, dark underpainting.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the boy's clothing and skin tones, paying attention to the overall color harmony.
step 04
Begin to refine the details of the face, focusing on capturing the likeness and expression.
step 05
Add details to the cat, paying attention to the fur texture and the contrast between black and white.
step 06
Develop the details of the chair and the surrounding environment, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 07
Refine the details of the hands and feet, paying attention to the anatomy and the way the light falls on them.
step 08
Add final touches and glazes to unify the painting and enhance the colors.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · ivory black

Mix skin tones by blending burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Create the blue overalls by mixing ultramarine blue with burnt umber and white.

techniques