plate no. 0237
Portrait of a Man
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in creating depth and form using chiaroscuro.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the figure's pose and proportions.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: the background, robe, skin tones, and cross.
- step 03
Start refining the skin tones, paying close attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
- step 04
Develop the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 05
Work on the robe, creating depth and form with shadows and highlights.
- step 06
Paint the hands, focusing on capturing the correct anatomy and proportions.
- step 07
Add the cross, paying attention to its shape and texture.
- step 08
Refine the overall painting, making adjustments to the colors, values, and details as needed.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · burnt sienna
secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre
Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, burnt sienna, and small amounts of red and yellow ochre. The robe is primarily ivory black and raw umber, with subtle variations in value.
techniques
- ·portrait painting
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·glazing
- ·blending
- ·underpainting
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to create enough depth and form in the robe.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium such as linseed oil can be used to thin the paints and improve blending.
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