plate no. 6697

Portrait of a Young Man in a Green Jacket

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfigurejacketclothingmantable

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering clothing folds. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the jacket, vest, and pants.
step 04
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to light and shadow.
step 05
Add details to the clothing, such as buttons and folds.
step 06
Develop the background with subtle variations in tone.
step 07
Add highlights and refine the edges of the forms.
step 08
Apply a final glaze to unify the painting and enhance the colors.

color palette

primary · viridian green · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · cadmium yellow light · alizarin crimson

Mix greens by combining viridian green with raw umber and white. Achieve flesh tones by mixing white, cadmium yellow light, and alizarin crimson, adjusting the proportions for highlights and shadows.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·underpainting
·chiaroscuro
·blending

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the details before establishing the overall value structure.
→Using colors that are too saturated.
→Failing to create a sense of depth.
→Not blending the colors smoothly enough.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints: viridian green, raw umber, titanium white, ivory black, cadmium yellow light, alizarin crimson
·#4 round brush
·#6 flat brush
·#2 filbert brush
·Palette
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil