plate no. 6947

Portrait of a Young Man

oil, canvasBaroqueportraitportraitmanclothingfacehaircollar

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering subtle tonal variations in skin tones. It also provides practice in creating depth and form using a limited color palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and collar.
step 02
Establish the background with a mid-tone brown, blending it smoothly.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the face with a base skin tone, paying attention to the light and shadow areas.
step 04
Start building up the darker areas of the hair and clothing with dark browns and blacks.
step 05
Refine the facial features, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth, and blending the tones smoothly.
step 06
Add highlights to the face, hair, and collar to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Pay attention to the subtle gradations of tone in the face to capture the likeness of the subject.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Mix skin tones using white, raw umber, and a touch of yellow ochre and burnt sienna. Darken tones with ivory black and raw umber. Use white to create highlights.

techniques

·underpainting
·blending
·scumbling
·glazing
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Over-blending the skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
→Not paying enough attention to the subtle gradations of tone.
→Ignoring the importance of highlights and shadows in creating depth.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre, burnt sienna)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Palette knife
·Rags