plate no. 6768
Portrait of Jules Antoine Castagnary
Gustave Courbet, 1870
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with subtle value changes. It also provides practice in creating texture with visible brushstrokes.
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 head, shoulders, and clothing.
- step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Begin building up the darker values in the hair, beard, and clothing.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the shapes of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 05
Add highlights to the face and clothing to create a sense of depth.
- step 06
Develop the texture of the beard and hair with short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a harmonious whole.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights.
color palette
primary · ivory black · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · Prussian blue · yellow ochre · raw sienna
Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining black, umber, and white. Use small amounts of blue and yellow to create subtle color variations in the skin tones and clothing.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·value study
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Failing to accurately capture the proportions of the face.
- →Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
- →Ignoring the subtle value changes that create form.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·Prussian blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·easel
Use a medium-sized canvas (e.g., 16x20 inches) for this project. Consider using a toned canvas to speed up the painting process.
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