plate no. 1527

Portrait of the Prince P. Scherbatov

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghistoricalaristocrat

some experience helpful

This painting provides a good opportunity to practice portraiture, focusing on subtle skin tone variations and rendering of clothing details. Students can learn to create depth through value changes and soft blending.

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 head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin layer of dark brown or black.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the face with mid-tones, paying attention to the light source.
step 04
Start building up the highlights and shadows on the face, blending carefully.
step 05
Paint the hair, using short, broken strokes to create texture.
step 06
Block in the clothing with dark values, then add highlights and details.
step 07
Add details like the collar, medals, and buttons.
step 08
Refine the edges and blend the transitions between values.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, raw umber, and a touch of red. Use ultramarine blue to cool down shadows. Achieve the dark background by mixing ivory black and raw umber.

techniques

·portrait painting
·value studies
·blending
·layering
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
→Incorrect proportions of the facial features.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows and highlights.
→Getting the likeness wrong.
→Not paying attention to the details in the clothing.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (ivory black, titanium white, raw umber, yellow ochre, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue)
·palette
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife
·rags