plate no. 6156

Portrait of Yuri Stepanovich Nechaev-Maltsev

oilRealismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingformal wearbow tie

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, subtle skin tone variations, and rendering of light and shadow. It also provides practice in painting realistic textures of clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing on the canvas.
step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas using a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
step 03
Block in the background with dark, muted colors, focusing on creating a smooth, even tone.
step 04
Begin layering skin tones, starting with mid-tones and gradually building up highlights and shadows.
step 05
Pay close attention to the subtle color variations in the face, especially around the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and creases created by the light.
step 07
Add details such as the bow tie, hair, and any other distinguishing features.
step 08
Refine the painting by adjusting values, colors, and edges until the desired level of realism is achieved.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Mix skin tones by blending white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use black and umber for the dark clothing, adding small amounts of blue or red to avoid a flat, lifeless black.

techniques