plate no. 6717

R. H. La Thangue (Portrait of the Artist's Father)

oilImpressionismportraitportraitfigurebeardchairjacketbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in creating subtle variations in color and value to depict form and texture.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and chair onto the canvas.
step 02
Establish the overall composition and placement of the subject.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the background, jacket, and skin tones.
step 04
Gradually build up layers of paint, refining the shapes and values.
step 05
Pay close attention to the subtle variations in color and value within the face to create a realistic likeness.
step 06
Add details such as the beard, hair, and clothing folds.
step 07
Refine the background, adding texture and subtle variations in color.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create depth.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · cadmium red light

Achieve the skin tones by mixing titanium white, yellow ochre, and a touch of cadmium red light. Use raw umber and ivory black for the beard and shadows. Mix raw umber with white and yellow ochre for the jacket.

techniques

·portraiture
·alla prima
·scumbling
·glazing
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the paint and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value within the face.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, cadmium red light)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags