plate no. 5778

Portrait of Sliman Ben Ibrahim with Nichan El Anouar and Palmes Académiques Decorations

Nasreddine Dinet, 1910

oil, canvasOrientalismportraitportraitfigureturbanclothingmedalsbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as rendering fabric and details like the medals.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, turban, and background.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by blocking in the main areas of color (skin, turban, clothing, background).
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, paying close attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Develop the details of the turban, including the folds and patterns.
step 05
Work on the clothing, focusing on the drapery and shadows.
step 06
Add the medals, carefully rendering their shapes and colors.
step 07
Refine the background, adding depth and texture.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Skin tones are achieved by mixing burnt umber, raw sienna, and titanium white, with small amounts of cadmium red and ultramarine blue for subtle variations. The turban is created with variations of white and yellow ochre, with burnt umber for shadows.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·blending
·layering
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the face and head.
→Overly harsh or muddy skin tones.
→Lack of detail in the turban and clothing.
→Ignoring subtle color variations.
→Getting lost in the details before establishing the overall composition and values.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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