plate no. 0856
Portrait of an Art Historian and Restorer Alexander Anisimov
Boris Kustodiev, 1915
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as landscape painting techniques for creating depth and atmosphere.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background landscape.
- step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face and clothing.
- step 03
Block in the background landscape, focusing on the sky, river, and buildings.
- step 04
Begin layering skin tones, paying attention to subtle color variations.
- step 05
Refine the details of the facial features, hair, and beard.
- step 06
Develop the background landscape further, adding details to the trees, river, and buildings.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to the clothing and tie.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition and color balance.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium red
secondary · viridian · ultramarine blue · raw sienna
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red. Create greens by mixing yellow ochre and viridian. Achieve atmospheric effects in the sky by blending blues, whites, and yellows.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·color mixing
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors and creating muddy tones.
- →Failing to capture the correct proportions of the face.
- →Ignoring subtle color variations in the skin.
- →Neglecting the background and its effect on the overall composition.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·viridian oil paint
- ·round brushes
- ·flat brushes
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-sized canvas to allow for sufficient detail. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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