plate no. 0203

Portrait of a Young Man (Self-Portrait)

chalkBaroqueself-portraitportraitfiguremanself-portraitheadshoulders

some experience helpful

Recreating this drawing will help students understand value relationships and how to build form using hatching and cross-hatching techniques. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and proportions in portraiture.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and features.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the drawing, such as the hair and shadows under the chin and around the eyes.
step 03
Begin building up mid-tones using hatching and cross-hatching, following the contours of the face and clothing.
step 04
Gradually add lighter values by reducing pressure on the chalk and leaving more white space.
step 05
Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to subtle shifts in value.
step 06
Soften edges and blend values where necessary using a blending stump or your finger.
step 07
Add final highlights to the cheekbones, nose, and forehead to create a sense of depth.
step 08
Check proportions and values against the reference image and make any necessary adjustments.

color palette

primary · black · white

secondary · gray

Varying pressure and layering of black chalk on white paper creates different shades of gray.

techniques

·hatching
·cross-hatching
·blending
·value gradation
·contour drawing

common pitfalls

→Applying too much pressure too early, making it difficult to correct mistakes.
→Failing to observe subtle value changes, resulting in a flat or unrealistic drawing.
→Over-blending, which can muddy the values and lose detail.
→Ignoring the underlying structure of the face, leading to inaccurate proportions.