plate no. 4172

Officer of Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard

oilRomanticismportraitportraitmanmilitaryhatfurclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering light and shadow on the face. It also provides practice in creating texture with visible brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the overall composition, focusing on proportions and placement of features.
step 02
Establish the background with broad, loose strokes of dark browns and greens.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the face with a mid-tone flesh color.
step 04
Begin to define the light and shadow on the face, using darker and lighter values of the flesh tone.
step 05
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 06
Paint the fur hat with short, choppy strokes of dark browns and blacks, suggesting texture and volume.
step 07
Render the clothing with similar loose brushwork, using a limited palette of browns and ochres.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · ivory black · cadmium red light

Mix various shades of brown by combining burnt umber, raw sienna, and ivory black. Use titanium white to lighten these colors and create highlights. Add a touch of cadmium red light to warm up the flesh tones.

techniques

·portrait drawing
·chiaroscuro
·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly quality.
→Failing to accurately capture the proportions of the face.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Not creating enough contrast in values.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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