plate no. 1491

Portrait of E.A. Cooper

Zinaida Serebriakova, 1926

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingfacehair

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in blending pastel colors to achieve realistic skin tones and capturing likeness through careful observation of facial features. It also provides practice in rendering clothing and textures with soft, expressive strokes.

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 clothing.
step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and clothing using a light gray or brown pastel.
step 03
Begin layering skin tones, starting with a base of light peach or pink and gradually adding shadows with darker reds, browns, and purples.
step 04
Carefully blend the pastel colors to create smooth transitions and avoid harsh lines.
step 05
Define the facial features, paying close attention to the shape and placement of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Add details to the hair and clothing, using short, expressive strokes to create texture and form.
step 07
Refine the highlights and shadows to enhance the three-dimensionality of the portrait.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust the overall color balance as needed.

color palette

primary · peach · light pink · gray · brown

secondary · red · purple · white · black

Achieve skin tones by layering and blending peach, pink, and light brown pastels. Use red and purple for shadows and white for highlights. Mix gray from black and white.

techniques

·pastel blending
·layering
·scumbling
·hatching
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Over-blending, resulting in a muddy or flat appearance.
→Incorrect proportions, leading to an inaccurate likeness.
→Using too much pressure, making the pastel difficult to blend.
→Ignoring subtle color variations in the skin tones.

materials

surface · pastel paper

required

·pastel set
·pastel paper
·kneaded eraser
·blending stumps
·fixative spray
·drawing board
·soft vine charcoal

optional

·palette knife
·workable fixative
·color shapers

Choose a pastel paper with a slightly textured surface to grip the pastel. Use a fixative spray sparingly to prevent over-saturation and preserve the texture of the pastel.

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