plate no. 8817
Portrait of a man, possibly Johannes Kepler
Hans von Aachen, 1612
some experience helpful
Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness, and understanding subtle value changes in skin tones. It also provides practice in rendering clothing and textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and collar.
- step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, beard, collar, and clothing.
- step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, paying close attention to highlights and shadows.
- step 05
Develop the details of the facial features, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Work on the collar and clothing, adding details and texture.
- step 07
Refine the background and adjust values as needed.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ivory black · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre
secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue
Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red. The dark clothing is primarily black with hints of umber and blue. The collar is white with subtle grey shadows.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·value studies
- ·blending
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Ignoring subtle value changes in the skin.
- →Making the background too distracting.
- →Overworking details too early.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to speed up the painting process.
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