plate no. 1535

Portrait of the Painter Louis Testelin

oilBaroqueportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghaircollar

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in blending and creating subtle gradations of light and shadow.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and collar.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of brown.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, hair, clothing, and collar.
step 04
Begin to refine the facial features, paying attention to the placement of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Develop the highlights and shadows on the face to create form and depth.
step 06
Add details to the hair, creating texture and volume.
step 07
Refine the clothing and collar, adding folds and highlights.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, raw umber, burnt sienna, and a touch of red. Darker tones are created by adding ivory black. Hair color is achieved by mixing raw umber, burnt sienna, and ivory black.

techniques