plate no. 6991
Portrait de Lamartine
Theodore Chasseriau, 1844
some experience helpful
Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in hatching and cross-hatching to create form and value. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and rendering details in clothing.
technical profile
palette complexity
1
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch of the overall composition, paying attention to proportions.
- step 02
Define the main shapes of the figure: head, torso, and limbs.
- step 03
Begin adding details to the face, focusing on accurate placement of features.
- step 04
Start building up values using hatching and cross-hatching techniques, starting with the darkest areas.
- step 05
Render the clothing, paying attention to folds and drapery.
- step 06
Refine the details of the hair and facial features.
- step 07
Add subtle shading to the background to create depth.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to values and details to complete the portrait.
color palette
primary · black · white
secondary · gray
Varying the density and layering of black lines creates shades of gray.
techniques
- ·hatching
- ·cross-hatching
- ·contour drawing
- ·value shading
- ·rendering details
common pitfalls
- →Incorrect proportions in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the details before establishing values.
- →Uneven or muddy shading.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
materials
surface · Smooth drawing paper
required
- ·Graphite pencils (HB, 2B, 4B)
- ·Eraser
- ·Sketchbook or drawing paper
- ·Ruler
- ·Sharpener
- ·Blending stump
optional
- ·Kneaded eraser
- ·Tortillon
- ·Drawing board
Use a variety of pencils to achieve different values. A blending stump can help smooth out shading.
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