plate no. 0382

Portrait of Paul Valery (1871-1945)

Jacques-Émile Blanche, 1923

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfiguremansuitchairbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and creating depth through layering and brushwork. It also provides practice in rendering fabric and subtle skin tones.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors of the background, using loose brushstrokes.
step 03
Establish the dark values of the suit and chair, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
step 04
Begin building up the skin tones, layering light and dark values to create form.
step 05
Refine the facial features, focusing on capturing the likeness of the subject.
step 06
Add details to the suit, such as the pocket square and chain.
step 07
Adjust the background to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · raw sienna

Mix various shades of brown and gray for the suit and background. Use red and yellow ochre with white to create the skin tones, adding small amounts of blue for shadows.

techniques