plate no. 4335
Portrait of Ilya Ehrenburg
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into geometric shapes, characteristic of cubism.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, book, and pipe.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of green, and add the cross shapes.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, suit, and book, focusing on overall tones.
- step 04
Begin layering in darker and lighter values to define the forms, using visible brushstrokes.
- step 05
Mix and apply subtle color variations to the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
- step 06
Refine the details of the face, hands, and pipe, adding texture and definition.
- step 07
Adjust the overall color balance and contrast to achieve a cohesive look.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white · viridian
secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · ivory black
Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, raw umber, and titanium white. Use viridian and white for the background. Darken colors with burnt sienna and ivory black.
techniques
- ·visible brushstrokes
- ·color layering
- ·geometric simplification
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Over-blending colors and losing the texture.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Making the values too uniform and lacking contrast.
- →Not simplifying the forms enough and getting bogged down in detail.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas 12x16
- ·Acrylic or oil paints
- ·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·Palette
- ·Palette knife
- ·Odorless mineral spirits or water (depending on paint type)
- ·Rags
optional
- ·Painting medium (e.g., linseed oil or acrylic retarder)
- ·Easel
- ·Apron
Use a canvas with a medium texture to enhance the visibility of the brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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