plate no. 9124

Portrait of General Henryk Dembinski

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremilitarymanclothingbeard

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding light and shadow to create depth and form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
step 02
Establish the background with broad, dark tones, leaving space for the figure.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, including the head, torso, and limbs.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the clothing and accessories, adding details such as buttons, epaulettes, and the sword.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension, focusing on the face and hands.
step 07
Refine the background, adding subtle details and textures.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed to create a cohesive and compelling portrait.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · ivory black · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Darken shadows with umber and black, and lighten highlights with white and yellow ochre.

techniques

·portraiture
·chiaroscuro
·glazing
·scumbling
·dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong and creating an inaccurate likeness.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of form.
→Using too much black and creating a muddy or lifeless painting.
→Ignoring the background and creating a distracting or unbalanced composition.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (burnt umber, ivory black, titanium white, cadmium red, yellow ochre, raw sienna, ultramarine blue)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette knife
·rags