plate no. 6350
Portraet Alois Lergetporer
Barbara Krafft, 1811
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and capturing likeness, as well as practice blending techniques for skin tones and rendering fabric textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
- step 02
Block in the main shapes with thin washes of color, establishing the overall value structure.
- step 03
Develop the background, starting with the sky and then moving to the trees and foliage.
- step 04
Begin building up the skin tones, using layers of thin paint and careful blending.
- step 05
Paint the clothing, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
- step 06
Add details to the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 07
Refine the details of the lace collar and the book.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · ivory black · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber
secondary · cerulean blue · cadmium red · raw sienna
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red. Achieve the black of the coat by mixing ivory black with a touch of burnt umber.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·blending
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·chiaroscuro
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the skin tones and losing the freshness of the paint.
- →Failing to create enough contrast between light and shadow.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the background.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·assorted brushes
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·retouch varnish
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to improve the flow and blending of the paint.
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