plate no. 3281

Portrait of the Doctor

oil, canvasImpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanbeardclothingtable

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating texture with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and conveying character through paint.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme with thin washes of color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, clothing, and background.
step 04
Begin building up layers of paint, focusing on the light and shadow areas.
step 05
Develop the details of the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Add texture to the beard, hair, and clothing with short, broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the background and add any final details.
step 08
Add the signature and date in the upper right corner.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones using white, sienna, red, and a touch of blue. Achieve darker tones by adding umber and black. Use small amounts of blue and red to create the background.

techniques