plate no. 5200

Portrait of Eduard von Knorr

oilRealismportraitportraitfiguremanmilitary uniformbeardformal wear

some experience helpful

Recreating this drawing will help students develop skills in rendering form through hatching and cross-hatching, as well as capturing likeness in portraiture. It also provides practice in depicting textures and details in clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch of the overall composition and proportions of the figure.
step 02
Refine the sketch, paying close attention to the facial features and the details of the uniform.
step 03
Start adding values with light hatching, focusing on the areas of shadow.
step 04
Gradually build up the darker values using cross-hatching, paying attention to the direction of the light.
step 05
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, using precise lines and subtle shading.
step 06
Render the details of the uniform, including the buttons, epaulettes, and collar, using a combination of hatching and cross-hatching.
step 07
Add the signature and any other text present in the original drawing.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and details to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · graphite gray · white

secondary · none

This is a monochrome drawing, so the key is to achieve different shades of gray through varying the pressure and density of your pencil strokes.

techniques

·hatching
·cross-hatching
·rendering form
·portraiture
·detail rendering

common pitfalls

→Failing to establish accurate proportions in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the drawing and losing the freshness of the lines.
→Not paying attention to the direction of the light and creating inconsistent shadows.
→Getting lost in the details and neglecting the overall composition.

materials

surface · Smooth drawing paper

required

·Graphite pencils (HB, 2B, 4B)
·Eraser
·Kneaded eraser
·Drawing paper
·Blending stump
·Pencil sharpener

optional

·Ruler
·Compass
·Fixative spray

Use a variety of graphite pencils to achieve a full range of values. A blending stump can be helpful for smoothing out the transitions between values.

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