plate no. 5449
Portrait of a Youth, probably Lucrezia Borgia
Dosso Dossi, 1516
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as rendering realistic fabrics and details.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the oval composition and the basic proportions of the figure.
- step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and clothing using a thin wash of burnt umber.
- step 03
Begin layering skin tones, starting with mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
- step 04
Paint the dark clothing, paying attention to the subtle folds and variations in tone.
- step 05
Add the details of the white collar and the decorative elements on the clothing.
- step 06
Paint the background foliage, using a variety of greens and browns to create depth.
- step 07
Add the small white flowers in the background.
- step 08
Refine the details of the face, hands, and ring, paying attention to the light and shadow.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white
secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre · viridian
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Dark clothing is primarily black and umber with subtle variations of grey. Greens are mixed from viridian, yellow ochre, and white.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·blending
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Over-blending the skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Making the dark clothing too uniform and lacking depth.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in color in the background foliage.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·retouch varnish
- ·easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Allow each layer to dry before applying the next.
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