plate no. 6455
Portrait Of Don Rodrigo Vasquez
El Greco, 1605
some experience helpful
Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding chiaroscuro and creating a sense of depth.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch of the figure's proportions and pose on the canvas.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: the face, ruff, clothing, and background.
- step 03
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
- step 04
Develop the details of the ruff, using small brushstrokes to create texture and folds.
- step 05
Refine the facial features, focusing on capturing the likeness of the subject.
- step 06
Add details to the clothing, using darker values to create depth.
- step 07
Adjust the background to create contrast and focus attention on the figure.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow light
Mix various shades of skin tones by combining white, yellow ochre, raw umber, and a touch of burnt sienna. Use ivory black and raw umber for the dark background and clothing. Mix white with a touch of black and yellow ochre for the ruff.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·glazing
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Ignoring the importance of highlights and shadows.
- →Making the ruff too flat and lacking in texture.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a pre-primed canvas to save time.
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