plate no. 5631

Portrait of Sergei Chokolov

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitfiguremanbeardclothinghair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and creating subtle tonal variations in skin tones. It also provides practice in loose, expressive brushwork and creating a sense of depth through layering.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic proportions and pose of the figure on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the overall values of the skin, hair, clothing, and background.
step 03
Start refining the skin tones, using subtle color variations to create form and depth.
step 04
Develop the features of the face, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Add details to the hair and beard, using loose, expressive brushstrokes.
step 06
Work on the clothing, capturing the folds and shadows.
step 07
Refine the background, ensuring it complements the figure without distracting from it.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna · ivory black

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson

Mix skin tones using titanium white, raw umber, burnt sienna, and a touch of yellow ochre and alizarin crimson. Use ultramarine blue and ivory black to create cool shadows and grays for the background and clothing.

techniques

·portraiture
·alla prima
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·tonal layering

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the details, losing the loose, expressive feel.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the skin tones.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, burnt sienna, ivory black, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags