plate no. 2125

Portrait of a boy

oilRealismportraitportraitfigureboyhairshoulderskin

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones with subtle color variations. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and form using light and shadow.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the boy's head, shoulders, and torso.
step 02
Establish the overall background color with a thin wash of burnt umber and raw sienna.
step 03
Block in the major shadow areas on the face, neck, and chest using a darker mix of burnt umber and black.
step 04
Begin layering in lighter skin tones, mixing white with small amounts of yellow ochre, red, and brown.
step 05
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the shapes of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Add highlights to the face, shoulders, and hair to create a sense of form and dimension.
step 07
Soften edges and blend colors to create a smooth transition between light and shadow.
step 08
Add final details, such as the highlights in the eyes and the texture of the hair.

color palette

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

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white with small amounts of yellow ochre, red, and burnt umber. Vary the proportions to create subtle color variations. Darker shadows are created by adding black or burnt umber to the skin tone mixture.

techniques