plate no. 7365

Portrait of Doctor Fiodor Usoltsev

Mikhail Vrubel, 1904

pencil, paperRealismportraitportraitmanfacehairclothingmustache

some experience helpful

Recreating this drawing will help students develop skills in hatching, cross-hatching, and rendering form with value. It will also improve observational skills and understanding of portrait proportions.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and facial features.
step 02
Establish the overall composition and placement of the figure on the paper.
step 03
Begin adding darker values to define the shadows and contours of the face and hair.
step 04
Use hatching and cross-hatching techniques to build up the values and create texture.
step 05
Pay close attention to the direction of the hatching lines to convey the form of the subject.
step 06
Add details to the eyes, nose, mouth, and hair, using finer lines and more precise shading.
step 07
Refine the overall drawing by adjusting the values and adding highlights.
step 08
Add final details to the clothing and background.

color palette

primary · graphite

secondary ·

Varying pressure and layering of graphite creates different values.

techniques

·hatching
·cross-hatching
·value shading
·contour drawing
·rendering texture

common pitfalls

→Failing to establish accurate proportions in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the drawing and losing the freshness of the lines.
→Not varying the pressure of the pencil to create a full range of values.
→Ignoring the direction of the hatching lines and creating a flat, lifeless effect.