plate no. 5157

Portrait of Rudolf von Arthaber and his children

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfamilychildreninteriorclothingfurniture

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding complex compositions with multiple figures and objects.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the overall composition and placement of figures and objects.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using thin washes of color.
step 03
Develop the background, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone and texture.
step 04
Focus on the faces, carefully building up the skin tones and capturing the likeness of each individual.
step 05
Add details to the clothing and accessories, using smaller brushes and finer strokes.
step 06
Render the textures of the furniture, fabrics, and other objects in the scene.
step 07
Refine the lighting and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium yellow light · alizarin crimson

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · ivory black

Achieve skin tones by mixing titanium white, cadmium yellow light, and alizarin crimson, with small amounts of raw umber and ultramarine blue for shadows. Use burnt sienna and raw umber for warm browns and wood tones.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·underpainting
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the individuals.
→Creating muddy or dull colors.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, cadmium yellow light, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, ivory black)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette
·palette knife