plate no. 0601

Portrait of a Young Man

oilEarly Renaissanceportraitportraitfiguremanhairclothinghat

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations. It also provides practice in rendering hair and clothing folds.

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 of the head, shoulders, and hat.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of dark green, varying the tone slightly.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the face with light flesh tones, paying attention to the planes of the face.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, adding subtle shadows and highlights.
step 05
Paint the hair, focusing on the direction and flow of the curls. Use thin glazes to build up depth and shine.
step 06
Block in the dark clothing and hat, defining the folds and creases.
step 07
Add details such as the eyes, lips, and the small bow at the neck.
step 08
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and adding final touches.

color palette

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

secondary · viridian green · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of raw umber. The green background is a mix of viridian green and black, lightened with white in some areas. Hair is a mix of yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and raw umber.

techniques