plate no. 1412

Oscar II

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)portraitportraitfigurechairmanclothinginterior

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, capturing likeness and form with loose brushstrokes, and understanding light and shadow to create depth and dimension. It also provides practice in rendering textures, such as fabric and skin.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition and proportions of the figure and chair.
step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas with thin washes of color.
step 03
Block in the large shapes of the figure and background, focusing on value relationships.
step 04
Begin to refine the details of the face, paying attention to the light and shadow on the features.
step 05
Develop the textures of the clothing and chair with thicker paint and visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Add highlights and details to the face and hands to create a sense of realism.
step 07
Refine the background and add any final details.
step 08
Glaze to unify the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use black and umber for dark areas, lightening with white for highlights. Mix blue with umber and black for the suit.

techniques

·alla prima
·dry brushing
·scumbling
·glazing
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly quality.
→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Making the dark areas too flat and lifeless.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, burnt sienna, titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife