plate no. 5260

Portrait of a man with hat and glasses (Francesco Paolo Michetti?)

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitmanhatglassesfacial hairclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and creating form with loose brushstrokes. It also provides practice in color mixing and achieving subtle value changes in a limited palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, hat, and shoulders.
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, focusing on the shadows and mid-tones.
step 04
Begin to refine the features of the face, paying attention to the shapes of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Add highlights to the face, hat, and clothing to create form and dimension.
step 06
Develop the background with loose, expressive brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the details of the glasses and facial hair.
step 08
Add final touches and adjustments to the painting.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

Mix various shades of brown and beige by combining burnt umber, raw sienna, and titanium white. Add small amounts of cadmium yellow or alizarin crimson to warm or cool the colors as needed.

techniques

·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·value study

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure early on.
→Getting bogged down in trying to perfectly match the colors.
→Ignoring the importance of edges and transitions.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine or mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·rags

optional

·medium gloss
·easel
·mahl stick

A medium-sized canvas (e.g., 16x20 inches) would be suitable for this painting. Consider using a toned canvas to simplify the initial stages of the painting process.

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