plate no. 6816

Portrait of Jacques Stella and his Mother, Claudine de Masso

oilBaroqueself-portraitportraitfiguresclothingovalhistorical

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting folds and textures in clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the oval composition and the placement of the two figures.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors of the background, clothing, and skin tones.
step 03
Develop the values in the faces, paying attention to highlights and shadows to create form.
step 04
Refine the details of the clothing, including the folds and textures.
step 05
Add details to the hair, eyes, and other features to capture the likeness of the subjects.
step 06
Blend the edges of the shapes to create a smooth transition between colors.
step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the realism of the painting.
step 08
Varnish the painting to protect it and enhance the colors.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Use raw umber and black for darker areas and shadows. Mix red and raw umber to create the red fabric.

techniques