plate no. 8239

Portrait of Monsieur Allard

Leon Bonnat, 1922

oilRealismportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghandface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It will also improve understanding of value and form through subtle shading.

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 on the canvas.
step 02
Establish the background with a mid-tone gray, blending smoothly.
step 03
Block in the dark areas of the clothing, focusing on the overall shape.
step 04
Begin to build up the skin tones on the face and hands, using thin layers of paint.
step 05
Carefully define the facial features, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, such as the collar and bow.
step 07
Refine the background and adjust the values to create depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · burnt sienna · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones by blending white, raw umber, and a touch of burnt sienna. Use ivory black and raw umber for the dark clothing, adding white for highlights.

techniques

·grisaille underpainting
·glazing
·scumbling
·blending
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Failing to capture the correct proportions of the figure.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in value, leading to a flat painting.
→Not blending the edges of the forms sufficiently.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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