plate no. 5728

Portrait of the Historian Mikhail Pogodin

oil, canvasRealismportraitportraitfiguremanbeardchairmedal

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones and textures. It also provides practice in creating depth and form through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, chair, and background.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the darks and lights with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin refining the background, focusing on the subtle gradations of color and texture.
step 04
Develop the face, paying close attention to the accurate placement of features and the rendering of skin tones.
step 05
Work on the beard, using small brushstrokes to create the illusion of individual hairs and varying the value to show form.
step 06
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and wrinkles to create a sense of volume.
step 07
Add details such as the medal and chair, ensuring they are accurately rendered.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red light · viridian

Mix skin tones using white, sienna, umber, and a touch of red. Achieve the darks in the coat with black and umber. Use viridian and white for the green chair.

techniques

·Blending
·Layering
·Glazing
·Scumbling
·Chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to create enough contrast between the lights and darks.
→Using colors that are too saturated.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 18x24
·Oil paints (ivory black, burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, cadmium red light, viridian)
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags