plate no. 1324
Portrait of Febo da Brescia
Lorenzo Lotto, 1544
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting textures like fur and fabric.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figure.
- step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using thin washes of color.
- step 03
Begin to refine the facial features, paying close attention to the light and shadow.
- step 04
Develop the details of the clothing, including the fur collar and lace cuffs.
- step 05
Work on the hands, carefully rendering the form and details.
- step 06
Add subtle highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Refine the background and any remaining details.
- step 08
Add final glazes to unify the painting and enhance the colors.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson
Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining the primary colors. Use yellow ochre and white for highlights on the fur. Add small amounts of alizarin crimson for warmth in the skin tones.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·rendering fur texture
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Making the skin tones look flat and lifeless.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes sizes 2, 4, 6
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·cadmium yellow oil paint
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to create a warmer base.
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