plate no. 7959

Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

oilRococoportraitportraitfigureclothingwigcolumnmedal

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations. It also provides practice in rendering textures like fabric and hair.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head and shoulders.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, muted tone, hinting at the columns.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the face, hair, and clothing, paying attention to the overall value structure.
step 04
Refine the skin tones, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
step 05
Develop the details of the wig, using small brushstrokes to suggest individual strands.
step 06
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 07
Add the details of the ribbon and medal, paying attention to their metallic sheen.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red light · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use ultramarine and white for the blue ribbon, and mix black and umber for the dark background.

techniques