plate no. 1627

Portrait of France Preseren

oilImpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanhairclothinghand

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing to achieve realistic skin tones, and using visible brushstrokes to create form and texture. It also provides practice in capturing a likeness and conveying a sense of mood.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, hand, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with thin washes of burnt umber and raw sienna.
step 03
Begin blocking in the larger areas of color, focusing on the skin tones and hair.
step 04
Mix a range of skin tones using white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of alizarin crimson.
step 05
Apply short, directional brushstrokes to define the planes of the face and hand.
step 06
Add darker values to the hair and clothing, using a mix of burnt umber and black.
step 07
Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 08
Add highlights to the face and hand to create a sense of depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · alizarin crimson · ivory black

Mix skin tones by combining white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use burnt umber and black for darker values in the hair and clothing. Add white to lighten values and create highlights.

techniques