plate no. 2303

Portrait of the artist's brother

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghairprofile

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in creating subtle gradations and soft edges.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the oval shape and the basic proportions of the head and shoulders.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin, neutral gray-brown tone.
step 03
Establish the main shadow shapes on the face and clothing using a mid-tone brown.
step 04
Begin layering in lighter skin tones, focusing on the forehead, cheek, and nose.
step 05
Paint the hair, using darker browns and blacks to define the form and texture.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
step 07
Refine the facial features, including the eyes, nose, and mouth, with subtle highlights and shadows.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to the hair and clothing.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Mix skin tones by blending white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use varying amounts of red for the cheeks and nose. Darken shadows with umber and black.

techniques