plate no. 5177

Portrait of Félix Peretti as a child (study)

oil, paper, canvasAcademicismportraitportraitchildfigurehairclothingface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in creating soft, blended transitions and suggesting form with subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of green and brown.
step 03
Block in the major areas of light and shadow on the face, hair, and clothing using simplified values.
step 04
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending colors to create smooth transitions.
step 05
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying close attention to their shape and placement.
step 06
Develop the texture and form of the hair with short, directional brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the details of the clothing and fur collar, adding highlights and shadows.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna · ivory black

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre · viridian green

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Create shadows by adding black or burnt sienna to the skin tone mixture. The background is a mix of green, umber, and black.

techniques