plate no. 4694

Portrait of George, Prince of Wales, and Prince Frederick, later Duke of York

oilRococoportraitfiguresportraitroyaltydraperycolumninterior

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of skin tones, as well as practice in depicting complex drapery and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 40 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figures and background elements.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 03
Develop the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Render the drapery, capturing the folds and highlights with careful brushwork.
step 05
Add details to the clothing and accessories, such as the gold embroidery and jewelry.
step 06
Refine the background elements, including the column and drapery.
step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Glaze to unify the colors and add a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

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

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · raw sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Create the rich darks by blending burnt umber and ivory black with ultramarine blue.

techniques

·portraiture
·drapery rendering
·glazing
·chiaroscuro
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the figures.
→Overly harsh or flat skin tones.
→Failure to capture the subtle folds and highlights in the drapery.
→Muddy or overworked colors.
→Losing the overall value structure.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (24x30 inches)
·Oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt umber, ivory black, titanium white, ultramarine blue, cadmium red, raw sienna)
·Linseed oil
·Turpentine
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Palette knife