plate no. 9078

Portrait of Charles Gruet

Carolus-Duran, 1914

oilRealismportraitportraitmanfigureclothingfacial hair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and creating depth through subtle value changes. It also provides practice in achieving a painterly effect with visible brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and background.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin to refine the facial features, paying close attention to the placement and shape of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 04
Develop the details of the clothing, using thicker paint and more visible brushstrokes to create texture.
step 05
Work on the background, blending the colors to create a soft, atmospheric effect.
step 06
Add highlights to the face and clothing to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the edges of the forms to create a sense of realism.
step 08
Add final details, such as the signature and date.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · cadmium red light

Achieve the skin tones by mixing titanium white with small amounts of raw umber, burnt umber, and yellow ochre. Use ivory black to darken the shadows and cadmium red light to add warmth to the cheeks and lips.

techniques