plate no. 4143
Portrait of a young scholar
Maerten van Heemskerck, 1531
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and subtle skin tones. It also provides practice in rendering clothing folds and textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and hands.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of muted green/brown.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, hair, clothing, and hat.
- step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
- step 05
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Work on the clothing, adding folds and textures to create depth.
- step 07
Paint the pen and paper, paying attention to their shape and form.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white
secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre · sap green
Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, burnt sienna, and a touch of yellow ochre. The background is a mix of raw umber and sap green. The red hat is cadmium red light with a touch of burnt sienna to mute it.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium-tooth canvas will provide a good surface for layering.
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