plate no. 3874

Portrait Of The Artis Lawrence Alexander Harrison

Giovanni Boldini, 1902

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingchairfacial hair

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones and clothing folds. It also provides practice in loose, expressive brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic proportions and pose of the figure using light pencil lines.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with thin washes of burnt umber and raw sienna.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the skin tones, clothing, and background.
step 04
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the details of the clothing, including the folds and shadows.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Use loose brushstrokes to create texture and visual interest.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the composition and color balance.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black · alizarin crimson

Mix skin tones using a combination of burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use ivory black to create shadows and yellow ochre to create highlights.

techniques

·portraiture
·alla prima
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·expressive brushwork

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong
→Overworking the details
→Using too much paint
→Not paying attention to the value structure

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·Oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, yellow ochre, ivory black, alizarin crimson)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags