Portrait of Rudolf Freiherr von Puteani

approach — 8 steps

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue · gold

Achieve skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, raw umber, and a touch of cadmium red light. Use ultramarine blue and ivory black to create the dark tones in the uniform. Mix white with small amounts of other colors to create the cape's subtle shades.

techniques

• ·glazing
• ·dry brushing
• ·wet-on-dry
• ·color blending
• ·portraiture

common pitfalls

• →Overworking the details, leading to a stiff and unnatural look.
• →Using colors that are too saturated, resulting in a garish appearance.
• →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
• →Not paying attention to the values, resulting in a flat and lifeless painting.