plate no. 7557

Russell Gurney

oil, canvasAcademicismportraitportraitfiguremanclothinghairbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with subtle value changes. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and atmosphere using a limited color palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then the clothing.
step 04
Begin to develop the facial features, paying close attention to the light and shadow patterns.
step 05
Refine the details of the hair and clothing, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
step 06
Work on the background, softening edges and adding subtle variations in color.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to the face and clothing.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and add depth.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, burnt umber, and a touch of yellow ochre or cadmium red. Darken colors with ivory black and lighten with titanium white. Create subtle variations in the background by mixing different proportions of the primary colors.

techniques

·underpainting
·glazing
·chiaroscuro
·portraiture
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Using colors that are too saturated.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in skin tone.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, ivory black, titanium white, yellow ochre)
·round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·flat brush (#8)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette
·palette knife