plate no. 0336

Portrait of the Painter Fritz Rumpf

Lovis Corinth, 1901

oilImpressionismportraitportraitmanbeardclothinghandcigar

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and using loose brushstrokes to create form. It also provides practice in mixing skin tones and rendering fabric.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic proportions and pose of the figure using light pencil lines.
step 02
Block in the large shapes of the background, clothing, and skin with thin washes of color.
step 03
Start building up the skin tones, focusing on the highlights and shadows to define the form of the face.
step 04
Add details to the beard and hair, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 05
Define the clothing and add details such as the bow tie and cigar.
step 06
Refine the background and adjust the overall values to create depth and atmosphere.
step 07
Add final highlights and details to the face and hands.
step 08
Let it dry and add a varnish.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones by blending burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, and small amounts of cadmium red light and yellow ochre. Use ivory black to darken the shadows.

techniques