plate no. 1279

Oscar Miestchaninoff

Amedeo Modigliani, 1917

oil, canvasExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremansuitfaceclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice simplified portraiture and color mixing to achieve skin tones. It also provides practice in capturing a likeness with minimal detail.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and facial features.
step 02
Block in the background with a muted green-gray color.
step 03
Apply a base layer of orange-red to the face, leaving areas for highlights and shadows.
step 04
Add darker reds to the cheeks, nose, and around the eyes to create depth.
step 05
Paint the hair with dark brown, using short, directional strokes.
step 06
Block in the suit with black, and the shirt with white, using simple shapes.
step 07
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the shape of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to the face and clothing.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · titanium white · ivory black · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

Mix burnt sienna and white for the base skin tone, adding red for the cheeks and blue/black for shadows. The background is a mix of blue, black, and white.

techniques