plate no. 3518

Old Cox, Sandwich Islander

oilRomanticismsketch and studyportraitfiguremanclothingfacehair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering skin tones with subtle color variations. It also offers practice in creating soft, blended washes to define form and light.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light pencil sketch outlining the basic shapes and proportions of the figure.
step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted raw umber or burnt sienna to establish the overall skin tone.
step 03
Build up the darker values in the face and clothing using multiple layers of diluted paint.
step 04
Introduce subtle color variations in the skin tones, such as reds, blues, and greens, to create depth and realism.
step 05
Paint the hair with a mix of gray and white, using short, broken strokes to suggest texture.
step 06
Define the details of the clothing, such as the collar and buttons, with darker values and sharper edges.
step 07
Add highlights to the face and clothing to create a sense of light and form.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values as needed to achieve a finished look.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light · ivory black

Mix skin tones by combining raw umber and burnt sienna with small amounts of red, blue, and white. Use white to lighten values and blue/black to darken.

techniques