plate no. 5490

Portrait of Russian painter Filipp Andreevich Maljawin

lithographyArt Nouveau (Modern)portraitportraitfiguremanhairclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in capturing likeness and using hatching and cross-hatching to create form and value. It also encourages expressive mark-making and understanding of tonal variations in a limited palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the overall proportions and pose of the figure.
step 02
Establish the main shapes of the head, hair, and clothing.
step 03
Begin adding darker values in the hair, eyes, and shadows using hatching.
step 04
Build up the values gradually, using cross-hatching to create deeper shadows.
step 05
Pay attention to the direction of the lines to suggest the form of the face and clothing.
step 06
Soften some edges to create a sense of atmosphere and depth.
step 07
Add finer details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Refine the overall composition and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · black · white

secondary · gray

Varying the pressure and density of the pencil strokes creates different shades of gray.

techniques

·hatching
·cross-hatching
·tonal shading
·expressive linework
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overworking the drawing and losing the expressive quality.
→Creating harsh lines instead of gradual tonal transitions.
→Not paying attention to the direction of the lines, which can flatten the form.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.