plate no. 9029

Red Haired Man on a Chair

Lucian Freud, 1963

oil, canvasExpressionismgenre paintingfigurechairportraitinteriorclothingwood

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly capturing likeness and conveying mood through posture and expression. It also provides practice in rendering textures and subtle color variations in skin tones and clothing.

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, chair, and background.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by applying thin washes of color to the canvas.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the figure's skin tones, clothing, and the chair.
step 04
Begin to refine the details of the face, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 05
Develop the textures of the clothing and chair using visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the background, ensuring it complements the figure without distracting from it.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values to achieve a cohesive and expressive painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre · ivory black

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red light · viridian

Mix various shades of gray and brown by combining raw umber, ivory black, and titanium white. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna for warm skin tones, and a touch of cadmium red light for the cheeks and lips. Viridian can be used sparingly to cool down the greens in the background.

techniques