plate no. 8938

Portrait of Alexei Ivanovitch Strelkovsky

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitmanbeardclothingfacehair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate skin tone mixing and rendering of facial features. It also provides practice in creating soft transitions and 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 proportions and pose of the figure.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, hair, and clothing.
step 04
Begin layering and blending colors to create smooth transitions in the skin tones.
step 05
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 06
Work on the beard and hair, using varied brushstrokes to create texture.
step 07
Refine the clothing and background, adjusting values and adding subtle details.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create a sense of depth.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna · ivory black

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones using white, raw umber, burnt sienna, and small amounts of red and yellow. Achieve darker tones by adding ivory black and ultramarine blue.

techniques