plate no. 6275

Portrait of a Youth

oilEarly Renaissanceportraitportraitfiguremalered hatblue skyarchitecture

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle value gradations to create form. It also provides practice in rendering fabric and hair with simple brushstrokes.

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 the architectural frame.
step 02
Block in the background with a light blue, paying attention to evenness of tone.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones with a mid-tone mixture, then add shadows and highlights.
step 04
Paint the red hat, focusing on the folds and variations in color.
step 05
Render the hair with individual strands and curls, using a fine brush.
step 06
Paint the clothing, indicating the folds and shadows with darker values.
step 07
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Refine the edges and details throughout the painting.

color palette

primary · flesh tones (ochre, white, red) · red · blue · grey

secondary · brown · white

Mix flesh tones by combining ochre, white, and a touch of red. Achieve the blue background by mixing a light blue with white. Darken colors with burnt umber or black.

techniques

·portraiture
·blending
·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall form.
→Using too much paint and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, burnt umber, black)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife