plate no. 2159

Portrait of Denis Diderot

oil, canvasRococoportraitportraitfiguremanclothingtablebackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as practice loose, expressive brushwork to create texture and form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of dark, muted green-brown.
step 03
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and hands using a limited palette of warm and cool tones.
step 04
Begin building up the details of the face, paying close attention to the subtle variations in skin tone.
step 05
Paint the clothing, using loose brushstrokes to suggest the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the overall color balance.
step 08
Add final touches and glazes to unify the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ivory black

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and umber. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create the dark background and shadows.

techniques