plate no. 2501

Portrait of Willem Coymans

oil, canvasBaroqueportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghatchair

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness, rendering fabric textures, and understanding chiaroscuro. It also provides an opportunity to practice glazing techniques to achieve subtle color transitions.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, chair, and hat.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, muted tone, paying attention to subtle variations in value.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, hair, clothing, and chair using thin washes of paint.
step 04
Begin building up the form of the face, focusing on accurate placement of features and subtle gradations in skin tone.
step 05
Develop the details of the clothing, paying close attention to the folds and highlights in the collar and sleeves.
step 06
Add the details of the hair, using small, broken brushstrokes to create texture and movement.
step 07
Refine the details of the chair and background, ensuring they remain secondary to the figure.
step 08
Apply glazes to unify the painting and create depth, adjusting values and colors as needed.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Dark clothing is primarily black and umber, lightened with white for highlights. Use ultramarine to cool down shadows.

techniques