plate no. 7564

Portrait of a son, Alexander

Zinaida Serebriakova, 1925

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingfacehair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and capturing likeness through careful observation of shapes and values. It also provides practice in creating soft, blended backgrounds.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, focusing on the subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Define the features of the face, paying close attention to the shapes of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Add details to the hair and clothing, using thicker paint and more visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Refine the background, blending the colors softly to create a sense of depth.
step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create a sense of realism.
step 08
Check proportions and likeness, making adjustments as needed.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · ivory black

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, umber, and a touch of blue or yellow. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create the darker blues of the jacket. Vary the ratios for subtle color changes.

techniques

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

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the skin tones and making them look muddy.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
→Ignoring the importance of the background in creating a sense of depth.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, burnt umber, ultramarine blue, cadmium red, yellow ochre)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife