plate no. 5162
Portrait of Tien Po
Alexandre Jacovleff, 1931
some experience helpful
Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in capturing likeness, understanding light and shadow on the face, and using charcoal or similar media to create expressive textures. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Begin with a light sketch of the overall composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
- step 02
Establish the basic shapes of the head, clothing, and headwrap.
- step 03
Block in the darkest areas with charcoal, paying attention to the direction of light.
- step 04
Gradually build up the mid-tones, blending and smudging the charcoal to create smooth transitions.
- step 05
Add highlights with a kneaded eraser or white charcoal pencil.
- step 06
Refine the details of the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 07
Add texture to the clothing and headwrap with short, expressive strokes.
- step 08
Review the overall composition and make any necessary adjustments.
color palette
primary · charcoal gray · reddish-brown · skin tones
secondary · light blue · white
Skin tones can be achieved by mixing reddish-brown with white and small amounts of gray. The blue is used sparingly as an accent.
techniques
- ·charcoal blending
- ·value shading
- ·expressive linework
- ·highlighting with eraser
- ·smudging
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early
- →Creating muddy or flat values
- →Ignoring the direction of light
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject
materials
surface · drawing paper
required
- ·charcoal pencils (soft, medium, hard)
- ·kneaded eraser
- ·drawing paper
- ·blending stumps
- ·fixative spray
- ·white charcoal pencil
optional
- ·tortillon
- ·sandpaper block
- ·ruler
Use a paper with a slightly textured surface to better hold the charcoal. Fixative spray will prevent smudging.
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