plate no. 1532

Portrait of Louis XVI, King of France and Navarre

oil, canvasRococoportraitportraitfigureclothingcolumnhistorical figurerococo

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations. It also provides practice in rendering detailed textures and fabrics.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch of the oval composition and the figure's basic pose.
step 02
Establish the background with broad, blended strokes of muted browns and greens.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, focusing on accurate proportions.
step 04
Develop the skin tones using layers of thin, blended paint.
step 05
Paint the clothing, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
step 06
Add the details of the lace, embroidery, and medals.
step 07
Refine the facial features, focusing on the eyes and mouth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · raw umber · cadmium red light

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of black or umber. The blue sash is created with ultramarine blue and white, with subtle variations achieved by adding small amounts of other colors.

techniques