plate no. 1179

Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini

oil, woodNorthern Renaissanceportraitportraitfigureclothingheadwearhanddark background

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, subtle color blending for skin tones, and rendering realistic fabric textures. It also provides practice in creating depth through careful value control and layering.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a neutral gray or brown.
step 02
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and hands.
step 03
Begin blocking in the large areas of color, starting with the background and then the clothing.
step 04
Establish the basic skin tones using a limited palette of earth tones and white.
step 05
Carefully build up the details of the face, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in value and color.
step 06
Add the details of the clothing, including the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 07
Refine the details of the hands and the object held in the hand.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre · viridian

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, raw umber, and a touch of burnt sienna. The green of the robe is a mix of viridian, raw umber, and ivory black. The red headwear is a mix of cadmium red light and burnt sienna, toned down with raw umber.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·layering
·blending
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Inaccurate proportions in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Failing to create a sense of depth through value contrast.
→Getting the fabric folds wrong, resulting in a flat appearance.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, burnt sienna, titanium white, cadmium red light, yellow ochre, viridian)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags