plate no. 2485

Portrait of a naval officer

oilRococoportraitportraitfiguremanclothingofficerhistorical

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. Students will also learn about layering and blending techniques to create subtle transitions in value and color.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas using a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar neutral tone.
step 03
Begin layering in the skin tones, starting with mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
step 04
Paint the hair, paying attention to the direction of the light and the individual strands.
step 05
Block in the dark areas of the coat and the lighter areas of the shirt and tie.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, such as the buttons, trim, and folds.
step 07
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium yellow · raw sienna · alizarin crimson

Skin tones can be achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Darker tones are created by adding burnt umber or black. The gold trim is created by mixing yellow ochre and cadmium yellow.

techniques

·portraiture
·layering
·blending
·value study
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in value and color.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre, burnt umber, cadmium yellow, raw sienna, alizarin crimson)
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags