plate no. 1163

Portrait of an old man (possibly Lev Tolstoy)

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitmanbeardfaceclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness, rendering skin tones, and creating texture with brushstrokes. It also provides practice in observing and mixing subtle color variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the portrait's basic shapes and proportions on the canvas.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of neutral tones.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the face, hair, beard, and clothing with broad strokes, focusing on value and general color.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the placement and shape of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the skin tones by layering and blending different shades of pink, red, yellow, and brown.
step 06
Add details to the hair and beard, using small brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 07
Refine the clothing, adding shadows and highlights to create depth.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to the face and hair to complete the portrait.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red · ivory black

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of red. Vary the proportions to create different shades. The beard is primarily white with touches of gray and yellow.

techniques

·portraiture
·color mixing
·layering
·blending
·dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Over-blending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
→Using too much pure white in the beard, making it look unnatural.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the face.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, cadmium red, ivory black)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife