plate no. 5237

Portrait of Jacques of Savoy

oil, oakNorthern Renaissanceportraitportraitfigurelandscapetreesclothingjewelry

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as rendering realistic textures like fabric and metal.

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 color.
step 02
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin, clothing, background.
step 04
Develop the skin tones with subtle layers of color, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 06
Render the jewelry with careful attention to detail and highlights.
step 07
Refine the background landscape, adding details to the trees and path.
step 08
Add final details and glazes to enhance the overall realism.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

secondary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, cadmium red light, and titanium white, adjusting the proportions for highlights and shadows. Use raw umber and ivory black for dark clothing, and burnt sienna with yellow ochre for the gold chain.

techniques