plate no. 9603

Porträt des Dr. med. Friedrich Rauert

oilRealismportraitportraitmanbeardglassesclothingfigure

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones and textures. It also provides practice in creating depth and form using subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and facial features.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the dark background and shadow areas.
step 03
Begin layering in the mid-tones and highlights on the face, focusing on accurate color mixing.
step 04
Develop the beard and hair, paying attention to the direction of the strokes and the variations in color and value.
step 05
Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth to capture the likeness of the subject.
step 06
Paint the clothing, simplifying the forms and focusing on the interplay of light and shadow.
step 07
Add the glasses, paying attention to the reflections and distortions.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt umber, raw sienna, and titanium white, adjusting the ratios to create highlights and shadows. Use small amounts of cadmium red light to add warmth to the cheeks and lips. Mix ivory black with burnt umber to create the darks in the background and clothing.

techniques

·portraiture
·value studies
·color mixing
·blending
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Using colors that are too saturated or unrealistic.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in skin tone.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, ivory black, cadmium red light, yellow ochre)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits