plate no. 3773

Portrait of Monsieur and Madame Auguste Manet

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitfiguresclothingtablebasketflowers

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also offers practice in depicting textures of fabric and creating depth through value and color variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and objects.
step 02
Establish the background with broad strokes of muted browns and grays.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the figures' clothing, focusing on the dark values.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the light and shadow on the faces.
step 05
Add details to the clothing, such as the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 06
Paint the basket of flowers, using small brushstrokes to capture the individual blooms.
step 07
Refine the details on the table and the objects on it.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

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

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Mix blacks and browns with blues and reds to avoid a flat, chalky appearance. Use white sparingly to maintain the painting's overall muted tone. Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow, and a touch of brown.

techniques

·Underpainting
·Chiaroscuro
·Dry brushing
·Scumbling
·Portraiture

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early.
→Using too much pure black, resulting in a flat appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
→Ignoring the importance of accurate proportions.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·Oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, titanium white, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags