plate no. 9366

Portrait of Louis-Michel-Victor Mercier

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghairscarf

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and capturing subtle skin tones. It also provides practice in blending and creating soft transitions between values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and scarf.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
step 03
Begin layering in the skin tones, starting with the mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
step 04
Paint the hair, paying attention to the direction of the strands and the way light interacts with the curls.
step 05
Block in the dark areas of the coat and background, focusing on creating a sense of depth.
step 06
Add the details of the scarf, capturing its folds and texture.
step 07
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of realism and dimension.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna

Mix skin tones using titanium white, cadmium red, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt umber. Achieve darker values by adding ivory black or burnt umber to the base colors.

techniques