plate no. 0913

Portrait of Geiler von Kaiserberg

oil, panelNorthern Renaissanceportraitportraitmanheadclothinghistorical figurehat

some experience helpful

This painting offers a good exercise in portraiture, focusing on subtle value changes to model form and capturing a likeness. Students will develop skills in color mixing for skin tones and rendering fabric.

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 head and shoulders, paying attention to proportions and angles.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, clothing, and background.
step 03
Begin layering skin tones, focusing on the shadows and highlights to define the form of the face.
step 04
Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Work on the clothing, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
step 06
Add highlights to the hair and clothing.
step 07
Blend and soften edges as needed.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as necessary.

color palette

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

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red light · viridian

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, raw umber, and a touch of red. Shadows are created by adding burnt sienna and umber. The background is a mix of viridian and raw umber, lightened with white.

techniques