plate no. 6551

Portrait of the Architect Jan Wils

Isaac Israels, 1930

oilImpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingfacehair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and conveying a sense of depth.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and background.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin tones, hair, clothing, and background.
step 04
Begin to refine the skin tones by layering different shades of pink, red, yellow, and brown.
step 05
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 06
Define the clothing and background with bolder brushstrokes and darker values.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 08
Refine the edges and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · ivory black · raw sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt umber. Use ultramarine blue and black to create the dark tones in the clothing.

techniques

·broken color
·alla prima
·scumbling
·layering
·color temperature

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the skin tones, resulting in a flat and lifeless appearance.
→Using too much black, which can make the painting look muddy.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.
→Getting the proportions wrong, which can distort the likeness.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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