plate no. 7473
Portrait of Paul Verlaine
Eugene Carriere, 1890
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and using a limited palette to create depth and form. It also provides practice in blending and creating soft edges.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, beard, and shoulders.
- step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the background and clothing using a dark brown.
- step 03
Block in the mid-tones of the face and beard with a mix of brown and white.
- step 04
Add highlights to the forehead, nose, and beard using lighter shades of white and brown.
- step 05
Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone.
- step 06
Soften the edges of the forms by blending the colors together.
- step 07
Add texture to the beard and hair using short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 08
Adjust the values and colors as needed to create a sense of depth and realism.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw umber · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black
Achieve skin tones by mixing white with small amounts of burnt umber and yellow ochre. Darken areas with burnt umber and ivory black.
techniques
- ·grisaille underpainting
- ·scumbling
- ·soft blending
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·limited palette
common pitfalls
- →Over-blending, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Incorrect proportions of the facial features.
- →Failing to establish a strong value contrast.
- →Getting the skin tones too saturated.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 filbert brush
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium (e.g. Liquin)
- ·easel
Using a toned canvas (e.g., with a thin wash of burnt umber) can help establish the initial values and create a more unified color harmony.
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