plate no. 8938
Portrait of a Young Man
Hans Memling, 1490
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as practice rendering realistic textures and details in clothing and hair.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Prepare the canvas with a neutral ground.
- step 02
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, column, and background.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then the figure's skin tones.
- step 04
Develop the skin tones with subtle layering and blending, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
- step 05
Paint the hair, focusing on capturing the texture and volume with careful brushstrokes.
- step 06
Render the clothing, adding details like the ties and trim.
- step 07
Add details to the background landscape and column.
- step 08
Refine the overall composition and add final touches.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna
Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and small amounts of red and umber. Darker areas use more umber and blue. Hair is a mix of black, umber, and a touch of blue.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·portraiture
- ·blending
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Incorrect proportions of the face and body.
- →Overly harsh or flat skin tones.
- →Lack of detail in the hair and clothing.
- →Ignoring subtle variations in color and value.
- →Getting the likeness wrong.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·rags
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·retouch varnish
- ·mahl stick
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will aid in blending.
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