Portrait of Burkhard Maksimovich Berg, Russian Lieutenant General

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · ivory black · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · gold

Mix skin tones using yellow ochre, burnt umber, and titanium white, adding small amounts of cadmium red for warmth. Achieve the dark uniform color by mixing ivory black and burnt umber.

techniques

• ·portraiture
• ·blending
• ·layering
• ·glazing
• ·dry brushing

common pitfalls

• →Incorrect proportions of the face and body.
• →Overblending, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
• →Getting the skin tones wrong, making the portrait look unnatural.
• →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.