plate no. 0014

Portrait of the Architect Giacomo Quarenghi

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanhatclothingface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand color mixing for skin tones and practice loose, expressive brushwork. It also provides an opportunity to study portrait composition and capturing a likeness.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head and shoulders.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin wash of blue and gray.
step 03
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face and clothing using a limited palette of earth tones and white.
step 04
Begin layering colors to build up the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in hue and value.
step 05
Define the features of the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, with careful attention to detail.
step 06
Add details to the clothing and hat, using loose brushstrokes to create texture and form.
step 07
Refine the overall composition and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the realism of the portrait.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Mix white with small amounts of raw umber and burnt sienna to create various skin tones. Use ultramarine blue and white for the background. Mix yellow ochre with burnt sienna for warmer highlights.

techniques

·dry brushing
·scumbling
·color layering
·blending
·portrait sketching

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality of the original.
→Incorrect proportions in the initial sketch.
→Muddying the colors by over-mixing.
→Ignoring subtle color variations in the skin tones.