plate no. 9951

Portrait of T.P. Chaplygin, a cousin of Ilya Repin

oilRealismportraitportraitfiguremanbeardclothinghistorical

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones and textures. It also provides practice in using visible brushstrokes to create form and depth.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of reds and browns, leaving some areas lighter and darker for variation.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the face with a mid-tone flesh color, paying attention to the planes of the face.
step 04
Begin adding darker values to define shadows and contours, using a mix of browns, reds, and blues.
step 05
Introduce lighter values to highlight the forehead, nose, and cheekbones, using a mix of white and flesh tones.
step 06
Paint the beard and hair with a variety of browns, grays, and blacks, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 07
Add details to the clothing, using greens and grays, and paying attention to the folds and creases.
step 08
Refine the details of the face, hair, and clothing, adding highlights and shadows to create a sense of realism.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · titanium white · alizarin crimson

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · viridian green

Mix various shades of flesh tones using white, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, and a touch of burnt umber and ultramarine blue. Achieve the green of the coat by mixing viridian green with burnt umber and white.

techniques