plate no. 2766

Portrait of Egon Erwin

Christian Schad, 1928

oilMagic RealismportraitportraitfiguretattoosbuildingmanEiffel Tower

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate skin tone mixing and rendering form through subtle value changes. It also provides practice in depicting textures and details like hair and tattoos.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and the Eiffel Tower in the background.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of green and yellow.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the figure with basic skin tones, focusing on light and shadow.
step 04
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending colors to create a smooth transition between light and shadow.
step 05
Add details to the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying close attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 06
Paint the hair with short, directional brushstrokes, using a mix of dark browns and blacks.
step 07
Carefully render the tattoos with fine lines and subtle shading.
step 08
Add the details of the Eiffel Tower, using a mix of grays and blacks.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium red

secondary · viridian green · ivory black · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and cadmium red. Vary the proportions to create different shades and highlights. Use viridian green and yellow ochre to create the background.

techniques