Portrait of Sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon working at the bust of Voltaire

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Mix various shades of brown and red by combining burnt umber, cadmium red, and white. Use yellow ochre to add warmth to the skin tones. Achieve the background by mixing ivory black with white and a touch of burnt umber.

techniques

• ·portraiture
• ·blending
• ·glazing
• ·scumbling
• ·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

• →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
• →Overworking the details too early in the process.
• →Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
• →Failing to capture the subtle gradations of light and shadow.