plate no. 6259

Portrait of S. K. Sukhanov

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitfigureportraitmanbeardhandsclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, realistic skin tones, and rendering of textures like hair and fabric. It also provides practice in creating depth and dimension through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the figure's proportions and main features.
step 02
Establish the background with broad, blended strokes of muted colors.
step 03
Block in the basic shapes and values of the face, hands, and clothing.
step 04
Begin layering and blending colors to create realistic skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Add details to the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Render the beard and hair with individual strokes to create texture and volume.
step 07
Refine the clothing and hands, adding details and shadows to create depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · burnt sienna

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing raw umber, burnt sienna, and titanium white. Use small amounts of yellow ochre and ultramarine blue to adjust the warmth and coolness of the skin tones. Create shadows by adding ivory black to the base skin tone mixture.

techniques