plate no. 1776

Samuel Gilmour

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingchairhand

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions, skin tone mixing, and rendering of fabric textures. It also offers practice in creating a sense of depth and form through subtle value changes.

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, paying attention to the placement of the head, shoulders, and hands.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then moving to the clothing and skin tones.
step 03
Establish the darkest and lightest values in the painting to create a sense of depth and form.
step 04
Begin to refine the details of the face, paying attention to the subtle variations in skin tone and the placement of the features.
step 05
Work on the details of the clothing, including the folds and wrinkles in the fabric.
step 06
Add the details of the hands and the object held in the hand.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting the values and colors as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

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

secondary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones by combining burnt umber, raw sienna, alizarin crimson, and titanium white. Adjust the proportions of each color to achieve the desired hue and value. Darken colors by adding ivory black, and lighten colors by adding titanium white.

techniques

·portraiture
·value studies
·blending
·layering
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong
→Overworking the details
→Using too much paint
→Creating muddy colors

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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