plate no. 3223

Portrait of Leo Tolstoy

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitfiguremanbeardclothingchair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with subtle value changes. It's also a good exercise in depicting fabric and textures with visible brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic proportions and pose of the figure.
step 02
Establish the overall background color with a thin wash.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure (head, clothing, hands) with mid-tones.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the beard and hair, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to the clothing to create a sense of volume.
step 07
Refine the background, adding subtle variations in color and value.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · cadmium red

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, sienna, and a touch of red. Use black and umber to create the darker tones in the clothing and background. Add small amounts of blue to darken the blacks and create a cooler tone.

techniques

·portrait drawing
·alla prima
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Using colors that are too saturated.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, ivory black, titanium white, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, cadmium red)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags