plate no. 9790

Portrait of King Louis II of Hungary (posthumous)

oilNorthern Renaissanceportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghatjewelry

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, skin tone mixing, and rendering of textures like fabric and metal. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and form through subtle value changes.

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 figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and hat.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin, even layer of green.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, hair, clothing, and jewelry, using simplified shapes and values.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the placement and shape of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the skin tones by layering and blending different shades of warm and cool colors.
step 06
Add details to the clothing and jewelry, using highlights and shadows to create a sense of form and texture.
step 07
Refine the background, adding subtle variations in color and value to create depth.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · gold

Achieve skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, raw umber, cadmium red, and titanium white. Use ivory black and raw umber for dark areas, and titanium white for highlights. Mix viridian green with yellow ochre and ivory black for the background.

techniques