Portrait of Charles IV of Spain

Light from the left models the pale face with warm shadows on the right side, drawing the eye immediately to the figure's direct gaze. The brilliant red-orange coat dominates the composition, its mass balanced by a large, loosely rendered greenish-brown background that seems to glow softly on the right. The blue sash crossing the chest provides essential cool contrast. The loose brushwork of the background—especially the yellowish-green atmospheric areas—recedes behind the sharply rendered face and intricately decorated coat front.

The darkest darks anchor the top and left background; the face is the brightest accent, floating forward. The red coat reads as a warm mid-tone despite its saturation, allowing the pale face and white cuffs to push forward and the background darks to recede. Squint at this and you see three clear value groups: the luminous face, the substantial coat mass, and the shadowy background with its warm glow on the right side creating atmospheric depth.

• #b14724

  Vermillion or Alizarin Crimson + Burnt Sienna, adjusted to warm red-orange

  The dominant coat color—bright but not Day-Glo, with browns mixed in for shadow and modeling

• #091009

  Ivory Black + Raw Umber, very dark and slightly warm

  Darkest background shadows at top and left edges

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  Burnt Sienna + Raw Umber + touch of Ultramarine Blue

  Mid-tone shadows on the coat; warm grays throughout the background

• #5d462f

  Raw Umber + Ultramarine Blue + Burnt Sienna

  Darker coat folds and shadows; deep background areas on the left

• #958e6a

  Yellow Ochre + Raw Sienna + Ultramarine Blue + White

  The luminous greenish-warm atmospheric glow in the right background; warm mid-tones

• #f5f5dc

  Titanium White + touch of Yellow Ochre and Raw Sienna

  Face foundation; neck cloth; white cuffs and stockings; embroidery highlights on the coat

The face is finely modeled with soft, careful transitions between light and shadow—no harsh edges except where the pale face meets dark background. The coat edge is cleaner than the background but still painterly. The embroidery is rendered with precise, controlled strokes lay ornamental detail on cloth; the background, by contrast, is handled with broader, looser strokes and visible brushwork, especially the greenish-yellow passage on the right where atmosphere matters more than detail.

1. 01

   Establish dark ground and background structure

   Tone your canvas with a wash of dark greenish-brown mixed from Ultramarine Blue, Raw Umber, and Burnt Sienna. Block in the background, keeping it darker and more uniform at the top and left, brighter and warmer on the right. Vary the handling—some areas softer, some harder—and let the brushwork suggest atmospheric space rather than detail.

2. 02

   Block the figure silhouette and basic proportions

   Using mid-brown (Raw Umber + Ultramarine), loosely establish the figure's outline and head-to-body proportions. Keep the head upright and frontal; the body angles very slightly. Mark the shoulders, torso width, the position of the blue sash across the chest, and where the coat edges fall.

3. 03

   Underpaint the face with value and warmth

   Block the face as a pale, warm-toned shape using Titanium White + touch of Yellow Ochre and Raw Sienna. The left side is brighter and catches light; the right side is warmer and slightly darker. Don't model detail yet—just establish that the face is the brightest local value, clearly separated from the darker coat.

4. 04

   Paint the red coat with local color and shadow

   Lay in the coat using warm red-orange (Vermillion or Alizarin Crimson + Burnt Sienna). The left side catching light is brighter and more saturated; the right side and folds are darker, shifting toward burnt orange and warm brown. Establish the blue sash now as a cool accent running diagonally across the chest.

5. 05

   Model the face with light direction and feature placement

   Refine the face with soft value transitions and subtle modeling. The left side remains luminous; the right side shows warmth and shadow using pale Raw Sienna and Umber mixed with white. Establish eye sockets, nose volume, and mouth position carefully. Keep neck and lower face warm; avoid cool shadows that would flatten the modeling.

6. 06

   Suggest coat embroidery with pale, rhythmic marks

   The coat front is covered in fine, pale embroidered ornament. Using pale grays and whites, indicate this pattern with small, curved forms scattered down the front edges. Don't labor over every detail; suggest the rhythm and density. The embroidery catches light more on the left side of the coat; keep it subtler on the right.

7. 07

   Deepen background and strengthen atmospheric effects

   Darken and refine the background shadows, especially at the top and upper left. Strengthen the warm, greenish-yellow glow on the right using Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, and Ultramarine in lighter, looser mixtures. Soften edges where the figure meets background. The background should recede, not compete.

8. 08

   Final refinement—edges, values, and color harmony

   Step back and verify value relationships: face should be brightest, background darkest at top, coat a warm mid-value. Sharpen edges around the head; soften and blur edges in the background. Add final highlights to embroidery or face if needed. Ensure the blue sash reads clearly as a cool accent without overwhelming the warm harmony.

• The red coat is tempting to paint too bright or too pure—Goya's is a sophisticated warm orange-red with brown mixed throughout. Using raw Cadmium Red or pure Vermillion will read as costume-party cheap.
• The face is pale but not dead white or cool-toned. Overpaint white or add blue to shadows and you'll lose luminosity and get a ghostly, lifeless look instead of presence.
• The embroidery pattern invites over-rendering; Goya suggests it with remarkable economy. If you labor every ornament, the coat becomes fussy and the elegance collapses.
• The background glow is atmospheric and suggestive, not theatrical. Over-saturate the greenish-yellow or make the edges too soft and the figure will appear to float in haze rather than inhabit real space.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility