plate no. 2437

Retrato de niño

oilRealismportraitportraitboyfigureclothingruffball

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and creating subtle skin tones. It will also provide practice in rendering fabrics and creating depth through value variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the boy's head, shoulders, and the ball.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of burnt umber and raw sienna.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin tones, hair, clothing, and the ball.
step 04
Begin refining the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Add details to the hair, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Develop the clothing, focusing on the folds and textures.
step 07
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to the entire painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · raw sienna · cadmium red

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt umber. Darker areas use more burnt umber and blue. The clothing is primarily a mix of burnt umber and blue, lightened with white.

techniques