plate no. 3423

Portrait of Australian Painter Arthur Streeton

George Washington Lambert, 1917

oilSymbolismportraitportraitfiguremilitary uniformmanfacehand

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting fabric and details like buttons and insignia.

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, paying attention to the placement of key features.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then the larger areas of the uniform and skin.
step 03
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending different shades of ochre, sienna, and white.
step 04
Add details to the uniform, such as the buttons, pockets, and insignia, using smaller brushes.
step 05
Focus on capturing the likeness of the subject by carefully observing and rendering the features of the face.
step 06
Pay attention to the lighting and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Add final highlights and details to bring the painting to life.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the colors and add depth.

color palette

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

secondary · ivory black · cadmium yellow light · alizarin crimson

Achieve the skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and titanium white. Use raw umber and ivory black to create the darker shades of the uniform. Add small amounts of alizarin crimson to warm up the skin tones.

techniques

·portraiture
·blending
·layering
·glazing
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones and losing the freshness of the paint.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Using too much paint and creating a muddy effect.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints: raw umber, yellow ochre, titanium white, burnt sienna, ivory black, cadmium yellow light, alizarin crimson
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife