plate no. 1312

Portrait of boy

oilRealismportraitportraitboyfigureclothinghairface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones and hair. It also provides practice in creating depth and form through value and color variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the boy's head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the dark background and the lighter areas of the face and hair.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, mixing colors to match the subtle variations in light and shadow.
step 04
Paint the hair, paying attention to the direction of the strands and the highlights.
step 05
Add the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the likeness.
step 06
Paint the clothing, using thicker brushstrokes to create texture.
step 07
Refine the edges and details, adjusting values and colors as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and depth.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · ivory black

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, a touch of red, and a small amount of umber. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create neutral darks for the background and shadows.

techniques