plate no. 7736

Portrait of Édouard Blau

oil, canvasImpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingchairhair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including proportion and capturing likeness, as well as understanding subtle color variations in skin tones and shadows. Students will also learn to create depth and form using value and color.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the figure, paying attention to proportions and placement on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and areas of color, such as the skin, hair, clothing, and background.
step 03
Begin to refine the skin tones, using a variety of colors to create depth and dimension.
step 04
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the likeness of the subject.
step 05
Work on the clothing, using darker values to create shadows and folds.
step 06
Refine the background, blending the colors to create a sense of depth.
step 07
Add highlights to the face and clothing to create contrast and dimension.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the painting, ensuring that the colors and values are balanced.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt umber, and titanium white. Use ivory black and burnt umber for the dark clothing. Add small amounts of cadmium red to warm up skin tones and the chair.

techniques