plate no. 7183

Portrait of Thomas Fortescue

oil, canvasRococoportraitportraitfigureclothinglacecolumngreen

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as practicing techniques for depicting fabric and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure and column.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, muted tone, gradually building up depth.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, including the face, hair, and clothing, using simplified color masses.
step 04
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to light and shadow to create form.
step 05
Develop the details of the clothing, including the folds, buttons, and gold embellishments.
step 06
Carefully render the lace details, using delicate brushstrokes and subtle variations in tone.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to the column to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition, ensuring that all elements work together harmoniously.

color palette

primary · viridian green · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · raw umber · cadmium yellow light

Mix various shades of green by combining viridian green with ivory black and titanium white. Use yellow ochre and raw umber to create the gold embellishments, and add small amounts of cadmium yellow light for highlights.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·rendering fabric

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and dimension.
→Making the colors too bright or saturated.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (viridian green, ivory black, titanium white, yellow ochre, raw umber, cadmium yellow light)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags