plate no. 9076

Portrait Of Claude De Bullion

oil, canvasBaroqueportraitportraitfiguremanclothingruffmedal

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in portrait proportions, skin tone mixing, and rendering of fabric textures. It also provides practice in achieving smooth gradients and subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and ruff.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of burnt umber and raw sienna.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the face, hair, and clothing with corresponding mid-tones.
step 04
Begin layering skin tones, focusing on highlights and shadows to define the form.
step 05
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 06
Render the ruff with careful attention to the folds and highlights.
step 07
Refine the details of the clothing, including the green sash and medal.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw sienna · burnt umber · ivory black

secondary · cadmium red light · viridian

Skin tones are achieved by mixing raw sienna, burnt umber, titanium white, and a touch of cadmium red light. Darker tones are created with ivory black and burnt umber. The green sash is a mix of viridian and ivory black.

techniques