plate no. 3575

Portrait of a Physician

oilBaroqueportraitportraitfigurephysiciandrawingclothinghair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering fabric folds. It also provides practice in creating subtle skin tones and depicting hair texture.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, muted tone.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, including the face, hair, and clothing, using a limited palette of browns and whites.
step 04
Begin layering and blending colors to create the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Develop the details of the hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 06
Render the folds and drapery of the clothing, using light and shadow to create depth.
step 07
Paint the drawing held by the figure, simplifying the details.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to the face and clothing to complete the portrait.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light

Mix browns with white to create lighter tones for the skin and clothing. Use small amounts of red and yellow to warm the skin tones. Darken the browns with black for shadows.

techniques