Portrait of a man sitting on a park bench

surface prep

Prepare a wood panel surface. Historically, oil painting on wood panel was common before canvas became dominant (Source 2). Ensure the panel is sealed and primed to accept oil paints. Makovsky’s realism requires a smooth enough surface to render fine details of the face and clothing textures, but not so glossy as to prevent brushwork adhesion.

underdrawing

Begin with a charcoal drawing. Do not hesitate to hold your brush or charcoal against the model’s face to ascertain length and proportions (Source 3). Make the study slightly smaller than life size. Draw and shade in charcoal, using a dry brush to model forms if necessary. Place the drawing alongside the sitter, on a level with the face, and use a hand-mirror to compare the drawing with nature from a distance to check for proportional errors (Source 3). Make all corrections in the charcoal stage, as charcoal offers little resistance to correction, whereas correcting paint is fatal to lucidity (Source 3).

underpainting

Set the palette with raw umber and soft white, using turpentine to thin the paint (Source 3). Apply an initial layer of paint with the idea of going over it at least three or four times. This underpainting establishes the tonal values and composition before detailed color work begins. Avoid putting down paint with obvious errors in construction, as these are difficult to correct later (Source 3).

Mirror Comparison

Using a hand-mirror to compare the drawing with the sitter from a distance to detect proportional errors.

Color Contrast

Using complementary colors in the dress and background to enhance the complexion and avoid monotony.

Layering

Applying paint in multiple layers (at least three or four) to build depth and detail.