plate no. 1767

Portrait of Richard Strauss

Max Liebermann, 1918

oilImpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingchairface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with loose brushstrokes. It also provides practice in mixing subtle skin tones and creating a sense of depth with a limited palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and hand placement.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of dark green and brown, leaving some areas lighter to suggest depth.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the face with a mid-tone flesh color, paying attention to the planes of the face.
step 04
Add darker values to define shadows and lighter values to highlight the form, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 05
Paint the clothing with dark blues and blacks, using thicker paint and more visible brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, using smaller brushes and more precise strokes.
step 07
Add highlights to the hair and clothing to create a sense of light and atmosphere.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to achieve a cohesive and expressive portrait.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt sienna, titanium white, and a touch of cadmium red light. Achieve dark values by mixing ivory black, raw umber, and ultramarine blue.

techniques

·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling
·value study
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Ignoring the importance of value contrast in creating form.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, yellow ochre, titanium white, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, cadmium red light)
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·palette
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife