plate no. 7770
Portrait of Ye. P. Zhdanovich
Pavel Fedotov, 1847
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding how to depict fabric and textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch of the overall composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure and objects.
- step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors, starting with the background and large areas of the dress.
- step 03
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the values and subtle color variations.
- step 04
Develop the details of the dress, including the folds, highlights, and shadows.
- step 05
Add details to the hands, lace cuffs, and pink bow.
- step 06
Paint the table and objects, focusing on their textures and light reflections.
- step 07
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and adding final details.
- step 08
Add the signature at the bottom right corner.
color palette
primary · ivory black · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · alizarin crimson · raw sienna
Skin tones are achieved by mixing yellow ochre, burnt umber, and titanium white, with small amounts of alizarin crimson for warmth. The dress is primarily ivory black with subtle variations created by mixing in burnt umber and white.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·blending
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·rendering fabric
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Not paying enough attention to the subtle color variations in the skin tones.
- →Making the dress appear too flat and lifeless.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A medium can be used to thin the paints and speed up drying time.
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