plate no. 9137

Portrait of Giovanni Dupré by Antonio Ciseri

oilRomanticismportraitportraitmanbeardfur collarclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, capturing likeness, and rendering realistic skin tones and textures. It also provides practice in blending and layering to achieve subtle gradations of color and value.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and fur collar.
step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and clothing using thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones with layers of subtle color variations, paying attention to the highlights and shadows.
step 04
Define the features of the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, with careful attention to detail.
step 05
Render the beard and hair, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 06
Paint the fur collar, focusing on the soft, fluffy texture and subtle color variations.
step 07
Refine the background and clothing, adding details and adjusting values to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · ivory black · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Mix various shades of skin tones by combining white, yellow ochre, raw umber, and a touch of red. Use ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to create neutral grays for shadows and background.

techniques

·portrait drawing
·glazing
·scumbling
·blending
·layering

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the face
→Overblending, resulting in a flat appearance
→Inaccurate skin tones
→Neglecting subtle value changes

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, ivory black, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife