plate no. 2699

Pierre Balsan (1807-1869)

oilAcademicismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingchairtable

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting fabric and creating subtle tonal variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the figure's pose and proportions.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and areas of color, focusing on the overall composition.
step 03
Establish the background color and subtle pattern.
step 04
Begin building up the skin tones, using thin layers of paint and careful blending.
step 05
Define the features of the face, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 06
Paint the clothing, capturing the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 07
Add details to the chair and table, including the book.
step 08
Refine the painting, adjusting values and adding highlights and shadows.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of red. Darken colors with raw umber and black. Use thin glazes to build up depth and luminosity.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·blending
·value studies
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in value.
→Ignoring the background and making it too distracting.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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