plate no. 6978

Portrait of Daniel J. Nolan

John Singer Sargent, 1917

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitmanfigureclothingheadface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with subtle value changes. It also provides practice in alla prima painting and loose brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic proportions and placement of the figure on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the large shapes of the background, skin tones, and clothing with thin washes of color.
step 03
Establish the darkest values in the hair, tie, and background.
step 04
Begin building up the mid-tones and highlights in the face, paying attention to the planes of the face.
step 05
Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the likeness.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, using loose brushstrokes to suggest texture and form.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing raw sienna, burnt umber, and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create neutral grays for the clothing and tie. Add yellow ochre to white for highlights.

techniques