plate no. 6815
Portrait of Charles Gounod
Carolus-Duran, 1898
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones and textures. It also provides practice in creating depth and form using subtle value changes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
5
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and hat.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of red and brown.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of light and shadow on the face, beard, and clothing.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the subtle variations in skin tone.
- step 05
Add details to the beard, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 06
Develop the clothing and hat, using darker values to create depth.
- step 07
Adjust the overall values and colors to create a sense of harmony.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to bring the portrait to life.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red
secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre
Mix various shades of skin tones by combining white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use black and umber to create the dark tones in the clothing and background. Mix white with a touch of umber and ochre for the beard.
techniques
- ·portrait sketching
- ·value blocking
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·glazing
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the skin tones and losing the freshness.
- →Failing to create enough contrast between light and shadow.
- →Making the beard look flat and lifeless.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
