plate no. 7316
Portrait du révérend Père Henri Lacordaire
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering fabric folds, as well as landscape painting techniques for creating atmospheric perspective.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figure and background.
- step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using thin washes of color.
- step 03
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to light and shadow.
- step 04
Develop the folds and drapery of the robe, using subtle variations in tone and color.
- step 05
Paint the background landscape, creating depth through atmospheric perspective.
- step 06
Add details to the tree and foliage, using a variety of brushstrokes.
- step 07
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and adding highlights.
- step 08
Add final details and glazes to unify the painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · ultramarine blue
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ivory black
Achieve the subtle skin tones by mixing white, raw umber, and a touch of yellow ochre. Create atmospheric perspective in the mountains by adding more blue and white to the base colors.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·fabric rendering
- ·blending
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Inaccurate proportions in the initial sketch.
- →Using colors that are too saturated.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
related artworks
Romantic Landscape
Karl Lessing
Self-portrait with his brother Francesco
Giuseppe Tominz
Oenone Refuse de Secourir Pâris au Siège de Troie
Léon Cogniet
Duke of Alba
Francisco Goya
Blick Aus Dem Wald Ins Tal
Andreas Achenbach
Young Girl Fixing Her Hair
Sophie Gengembre Anderson
The Plough Inn
William Shayer
Hudson River Landscape
Johann Hermann Carmiencke