plate no. 6075

Portrait

oilRealismportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghatface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with subtle value changes. It also provides practice in depicting textures, particularly in the clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and hat.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of diluted paint.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, clothing, and hat, using broad strokes.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the placement and shape of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the values and textures in the clothing, using layering and blending techniques.
step 06
Add details to the hat and hair, capturing the highlights and shadows.
step 07
Refine the edges and contours of the figure, softening or sharpening them as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the three-dimensionality of the portrait.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · black · raw sienna · cadmium red

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt umber, and titanium white. Use small amounts of cadmium red for warmth. Achieve the darker tones in the clothing and hat by mixing burnt umber and black.

techniques

·portraiture
·layering
·blending
·value study
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overblending the colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle value changes that define the form.
→Ignoring the importance of edges in creating depth.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·Oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt umber, titanium white, black, raw sienna, cadmium red)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags