plate no. 0724

Portrait of A. I. Fedotov, the Artist's Father

watercolor, cardboardRealismportraitportraitfiguretableclothingnewspaperbackground flowers

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as practicing watercolor techniques like layering and glazing to achieve subtle color variations.

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 figure, table, and objects.
step 02
Establish the main light source and map out the areas of light and shadow.
step 03
Begin with a light wash of diluted colors to establish the overall skin tones and background.
step 04
Layer progressively darker washes to build up the shadows and details in the face and clothing.
step 05
Add details to the table, newspaper, and other objects, paying attention to their textures and forms.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth, to capture the likeness of the subject.
step 07
Glaze with thin washes of color to unify the painting and create subtle color variations.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · raw sienna · ultramarine blue · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre

Mix raw sienna and ultramarine blue to create muted browns and grays for the clothing and background. Use alizarin crimson and yellow ochre to create warm skin tones. Add ivory black to darken colors and titanium white to lighten them.

techniques