plate no. 0209
Portrait of Edouard Reynart
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as practicing blending and layering techniques to create depth and form.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
5
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and facial features.
- step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the darks and lights with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Begin building up the skin tones using a limited palette of earth tones and white, focusing on subtle color variations.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 05
Add details to the beard and hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
- step 06
Paint the clothing, using darker values to create contrast and define the form.
- step 07
Add the small details like the tie and the red pin.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · ivory black
secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre
Mix skin tones by blending white with small amounts of burnt umber, raw sienna, and cadmium red. Use black and umber for the dark areas and shadows.
techniques
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·value studies
common pitfalls
- →over-blending the skin tones
- →getting the proportions wrong
- →not paying attention to the values
- →using too much detail too early
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use a medium-grit canvas for best results. Consider using a toned ground to help establish the values.
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