plate no. 9728

Robert Tindal of Coval Hall (1749–1833), Father of Sir Nicholas Tindal

oilRococoportraitportraitfiguremanclothingbackgroundfeather

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding subtle color variations in shadows and highlights.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the basic shapes and proportions of the figure.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of reddish-brown.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin, clothing, and hair.
step 04
Start building up the skin tones with layers of subtle color variations, focusing on highlights and shadows.
step 05
Refine the details of the clothing, paying attention to the folds and textures.
step 06
Add the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Paint the hand and feather, focusing on the delicate details.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · sap green

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use burnt umber and black for the dark clothing, and mix green and white for the vest.

techniques

·portrait painting
·glazing
·blending
·color mixing
·rendering form

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones and making them look muddy.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows and highlights.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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