plate no. 0071

Portrait of Franz Liszt

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghairbackground

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 creating depth and form using subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the figure's pose and proportions on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, clothing, and background.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 04
Develop the details of the hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
step 05
Work on the clothing, focusing on the folds and drapery.
step 06
Refine the background, adding subtle variations in tone.
step 07
Add final details, such as the ring and any highlights in the eyes.
step 08
Glaze to unify the painting and adjust values.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones using titanium white, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt sienna. Use ivory black and raw umber to create the dark tones of the clothing and background, adding small amounts of ultramarine blue to cool the black.

techniques

·portrait painting
·value study
·glazing
·blending
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a flat or lifeless appearance.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Creating too much contrast, making the painting look harsh.
→Not paying attention to the subtle value changes in the background.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue)
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags